


Catch Perfect

by Resilicns, ZombieJesus



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Aiber is a lovable pervert, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, And Light forgets everything?, Awkwardness, Background Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Dirty Talk, Domination/submission, Drunk Sex, Exotic locations, Frottage, Gambling, Jealousy, L being a brat, L's canonical stalking ramped up, L’s tantrum are pretty cute, M/M, Masturbation, More tags to be added, Original Characters - Freeform, Overstimulation, Restraints, Rivalry, Romance, Rough Oral Sex, Sexual Tension, Shinigami Lore, Some Light/Aiber but it’s not a ship, Voyeurism, What if Light's desk burned up?, because this fic will be a ride, endgame lawlight - Freeform, felon with benefits, for now, plots and schemes, post-Kira world, so is L, that won’t know what hit them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:26:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 93,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27462661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Resilicns/pseuds/Resilicns, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZombieJesus/pseuds/ZombieJesus
Summary: Light’s desk catches on fire during the placement of L’s illegal surveillance cameras in the Yagami household, burning up the Death Note early on. Light forgets everything, the killings suddenly stop, and Kira fades away from the public consciousness but never from L’s. Six years later, Ryuk returns to Earth with a new Death Note for Light, now an agent in INTERPOL, ready for Round 2. L’s ready too.
Relationships: L/Yagami Light, Ryuk & Yagami Light
Comments: 246
Kudos: 377





	1. Firestarter

**Author's Note:**

> Catch perfect - a situation in a poker game, when there is only one card in the deck which gives you the chance to win

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a fire starts in Light’s desk, L brings him in for questioning but is frustrated in his attempts to get any evidence. Faced with losing the faith of both the Task Force and INTERPOL, L has to concede the Kira case is over, for now. Meanwhile, Ryuk is biding his time, determined to get back to Earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story begins in the normal Death Note timeline, with a very significant plot deviation that changes everything. Light is 17 and L is 24 at this point. There will be a time skip shortly.

“L, we have a problem.”

L really hated problems. “What is it, Watari?” Things were finally looking up. It felt like he was making solid progress, especially now that cameras were being installed in his lead suspect’s home. It brought L a sense of relief, knowing he’d be able to monitor his suspects at all times and gather information firsthand.

“Something unexpected happened when I attempted to place the cameras in Light Yagami’s bedroom.” Watari delivered bad news in the same way he gave good news, bluntly and without much lead-in. “I triggered an incendiary trap in his desk drawer which burned half his room to ash. Of course, I put out the fire and made a discreet exit before the police and fire crew came, but I had to take the cameras with me.”

A rather intense sense of dread weighed on L’s chest as he listened to his caretaker. For a few seconds, he said nothing, just stared down at his coffee cup. “...an… _incendiary trap_?” Frowning, he clutched his phone in his hand. “You’re certain his desk was rigged with a flammable trap?” 

“Yes, I’m certain. As I opened the drawer, flames shot out of it and I briefly smelled gasoline.” 

“Did you see what was in it?”

Watari sighed, “I didn’t get a look at anything else because the flames burned extremely hot right away. None of the other drawers were rigged in that way.” He paused and added, “The Yagami family wasn’t at home so at least no one was in danger. I’m parked some distance away watching the police arrive-- oh...Chief Yagami has just pulled in.” The Chief had likely been on his way to L’s hotel and turned right back around when he got the call. “What would you like me to do?”

“Don’t intervene. Just get back here and-” L rubbed his temples, huffing. “Make preparations for an interrogation.”

When Watari came back to L’s hotel, he noticed that most of the Task Force were there (except the Chief). He met L’s eyes and headed into the room he was using as his private office, silently communicating to L to follow. When they were alone, Watari pulled out a memory card and inserted it into his laptop. “Pictures from Yagami’s bedroom. The first two are mine and the rest I acquired from the fire crew and police report.”

The detective leaned over Watari’s shoulder, chewing on his thumb as he stared at the laptop screen. “...no doubt to hide crucial evidence. Well-played, Light,” he muttered, mostly to himself as he narrowed his eyes. “I need you to have him brought to a cell at the police station so I can interview him. Install cameras. The usual setup.”

* * *

“Light Yagami, you have some explaining to do.” Soichiro’s brows knit as he held up a Polaroid of Light’s room, blackened and burned. “Get in the car, we’re going down to the Police Station.”

Light gasped as he jumped inside the vehicle, hastily looking over his shoulder at his friends. _The trap in my desk went off!_ He picked up the picture with shaky fingers, gaping at the burned carpet, his desk in ruins. Half of his room had been destroyed, but it looked like the fire had gotten no further than that. It was scant relief given the solemn look on his father’s face. 

“So? What do you have to say for yourself? You could have burned us all up in our sleep!” Soichiro glanced at Light then directed his eyes back to the road. “This isn’t like you at _all_ , Light. My boss needs to have a word with you about what happened.”

Light’s face was heating as his father’s car pulled out of the parking lot of his high school, and he stared from the passenger-side window, mortified at what he’d apparently done. “Dad, I don’t know what to say. I’m…” He turned to look at his father’s stoic profile, frowning at the thought that he’d let the man down. “I don’t know what I was thinking, rigging my desk like that.” It was the truth-- he really _didn’t_ understand what he’d been thinking when he did that. His brain supplied the reason (to protect his diary) but it felt....insufficient, even if that's truthfully all there was to it. _Mea culpa time._ “It was poor judgment and I’m _so_ sorry.” 

Soichiro sighed, mustache twitching at the sound of his son’s distress. “We’re very lucky no one was hurt, Light. What if it had been your mother or Sayu? It could have _killed_ someone.”

“I know. It was really, _really_ stupid.” Light grimaced as tears pricked his eyes. Why had he done something so dangerous just to protect his silly diary? His life was immaculately boring, there were no secrets in that book that anyone would ever care to know. “I just don’t understand why your boss wants to talk to me about it. Did I commit a crime?” Surely no one would think he _wanted_ a fire in his own room, that he was an arsonist?!

“No.” Soichiro cleared his throat and kept his eyes on the road. His family had not been made aware of L’s scheme to place surveillance cameras throughout the house, including Light’s room. It was during that process that the trap in Light’s desk had gone off, incinerating half of his son’s bedroom. “I’m sure it’s just a formality. You know I’m on the Kira case and perhaps he just wants to make sure it wasn’t an attempt on our lives.” He hated lying to Light, but he wasn’t at liberty to disclose what the real reason for the interrogation was. Light was one of L’s suspects in the case, even though Soichiro didn’t believe it for a single second. Would _Kira_ be quietly crying over an accidental desk fire? _Preposterous._

Light nodded, resigning himself to all the uncertainty he felt. “Alright. Anything I can do to help, you know I will.” He let his head fall into his hands. “I’m really so sorry. I’ll find some way to pay for the damage.”

* * *

L’s eyes hardened as he stared at the younger man plastered across his screen. Just like he had intended for Light’s room, the cell he was being held in for interrogation had multiple cameras for multiple angles. The more he thought about the situation, the more furious he became. This incident of “accidental” arson was a double-edged sword. The fact that the youth had his desk rigged in such a way confirmed for L that Light Yagami _must_ be Kira. Of course, Light had been the only suspect he even remotely cared about. The others were a mere formality to quiet the Task Force. But, critical evidence may have been lost. 

“You mean to tell me that the only thing that drawer contained was your diary? _”_ As always, L’s voice was heavily filtered through the sound modulating programs set on his computer. He stared at the screen, knowing his suspect couldn’t see the absolute irritation on his face, but feeling it nonetheless. Normally, he tried to keep his tone neutral while speaking to suspects with his voice disguised, but the detective was increasingly losing his patience. His entire day- no, his entire month was ruined.

Light blinked impassively at the laptop in front of him, which showed nothing more than a gothic letter ‘L.’ “Yes, that’s right. Just my diary.” He looked around the small room, counting at least three cameras in the corners aimed right at his chair. _Probably more that I can’t see, hidden somewhere._ He had nothing to hide, other than his embarrassment, but Light was still slightly irritated at all the cloak and dagger antics. He couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. Why was _L_ involved in an accident where no one even got hurt? 

“I’m sorry, _Light_ ,” L didn’t bother hiding the snark in his voice, the anger that had been bubbling under the surface since he heard the news starting to spill over. “What exactly was so _important_ in your diary that you felt the need to create a death trap to hide it?” His words were drenched in sarcasm. He saw no need to _really_ hide it, as Watari was the only other person who would be viewing this later (although he would no doubt receive a harsh word or two for being disrespectful). “You’re clearly an intelligent person, so perhaps you can enlighten me on the situation.”

Light frowned and crossed his arms, clearly unused to being spoken to in such a manner. “That’s the thing-- there was nothing in the diary of any importance at all. Just notes I’d jotted down about my schedule or plans, dates I’d been on, things I needed to do to get ready for college.” He sighed because it was just as much of a puzzle to him as it was to the detective. “There’s nothing to ‘enlighten’ you about. It was a silly idea and I learned my lesson, ok?” 

_He learned his lesson? Deep breaths, deep breaths._ L took his finger off of the button attached to the microphone, spending a brief moment calming himself down. It wouldn’t do to just start insulting and swearing at the teen, no matter how much he _wanted_ to. Once he was certain he wouldn’t descend into explicatives, he pressed the button again. “I don’t believe you.” 

Light was really getting angry, gritting his teeth. Did L really _need_ to add insult to injury? “I’m telling you the truth.”

“Why would you rig your desk to explode over school notes and calendars? I would _understand_ if the contents of your diary were more ‘risque,’ but insisting it was a glorified planner is nonsensical.” Frowning, L grabbed a cherry-flavored sweet from the glass dish by his side, popping it into his mouth. “No, I don’t think that’s the case. I think you’re lying to me, Light, and I intend to find out exactly what the truth here is.” A grimace curved his lips. _How am I supposed to do that? If evidence was in that drawer, there’s nothing I can do._

“Haven’t you just ever done something dumb, just because you _could?_ ” Light was grasping at straws, trying to rationalize his own actions to himself. “I was curious if the trap would work. I was just experimenting.” There was no lie in his face, his voice, but he did sound exasperated. “I’ll be the first one to admit it was a horrible idea but I’m 17, ok? I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone and nobody got hurt. I already told my Dad I’d pay for the damages. Do some tutoring or something. Can I go home now?”

L bit down on the candy, not bothering to mute the microphone and hide the loud cracking sound it made between his teeth. _We’re back to square one, and I have no real excuse to hold him indefinitely. Dammit, the case can’t just end like_ **_this_** _._ “ _Unfortunately_ , I have no reason acceptable in writing to keep you for extended interrogation. But do not believe this clears you of suspicion. I _will_ find out what you’re hiding from me, Light Yagami, and when I do,” he paused, a blissful smirk forming from just the thought of cornering Light, _Kira_ , and seeing him defeated. “You will regret this little charade. _But_ , until then, this will barely even be a blemish on your _flawless_ record. You are dismissed.” Releasing the button for a final time, he waved for Watari to handle the situation.

Light grumbled under his breath, “Yeah, I hope you find out all the details of my shitty dates and homework assignments. Have fun.” He pushed up from the desk and walked out of the room, joining his anxious-looking father just outside.

Soichiro got up and hugged Light, noticing the tension on his son’s face. “Is everything ok, Light?”

Light hugged him back, looking over his father’s shoulder at a camera pointing right at them. “Everything’s fine. But your boss is an asshole.”

* * *

For the next six months that followed that interrogation, Light’s words haunted L. Initially, the teen insulting him brought him a sense of satisfaction. If he had imparted even a fraction of the anger he felt onto the cause of said anger, all was well, right? However, as days turned to weeks, and the number of deaths seemingly caused by Kira dwindled to zero, their conversation was becoming a source of agony for the detective. Every time Soichiro looked at him, whether it was searching for answers or anger at the suspicion still directed at his son, L could hear his suspect waxing poetic about doing dumb things “just because you could.” That sentiment was slowly beginning to ring true for him. His sleep schedule had become even worse than it already was, and with the amount of sugar he consumed lessening as the days went on, his energy levels followed suit. 

He couldn’t recall the last time a case had physically drained him in such a way, especially not when, seemingly, it had ended itself. That very fact was the source of his pain. Anyone that knew him would know what was, inevitably, coming next. His tactics became more frantic and desperate. Calling out Kira on live television, “leaking” documents containing pardoned criminals that seemed guilty, and offering to have a one-on-one discussion with the murderer himself. None of it worked, and he was slowly beginning to understand why. It brought him only grief to realize it, but Kira was gone. Somehow that fire, which he had initially assumed would only be a mild hiccup, had taken his game away entirely. This case had given him a thrill he had never known before, and now that it was gone, he felt that void, that absence, aching inside of him.

By eight months with zero suspicious deaths, the Task Force was restless and demoralized by the complete lack of leads. Matsuda was the first one to come out and say it. He came in with a newspaper and a concerned expression, laying the paper down on L’s desk. It contained the same headlines that had been everywhere in the media lately. _‘What Happened to Kira?’ ‘Is Kira Truly Gone or Only Resting?’ ‘L Hasn’t Caught Kira, Did Someone Else?’_

“Ryuzaki...the world’s starting to really believe Kira’s stopped.” Matsuda shifted from foot to foot, running a hand through his hair nervously. He really hated confrontation. “How much longer is this investigation going to go on? We don’t even have anything to _do._ ”

_Matsuda of all people...really?_ L gritted his teeth, his spoon clinking loudly against the inside of his coffee cup. “...we cannot become complacent. That could be exactly what he wants,” he snapped, taking a curt and rude tone he had yet to actually use around the task force. “Kira won’t stay silent forever.” _He can’t. He_ **_can’t_** _._

Aizawa grumbled, “There’s a lot of criminals out there actually _killing_ people, Ryuzaki. People we could be catching if we weren’t on a wild goose chase.” He already had his letter of resignation for L in his desk, considering sitting around and doing nothing bad for his career and his peace of mind. “The police know when to switch priorities. We do it all the time when a case goes cold.” 

Matsuda frowned and looked between the stony faces of the other team members, then back to L. “I mean...we could all come back if Kira picks up again.”

Soichiro harrumphed, crossing his arms. “Admit it Ryuzaki, this is a waste of time and resources.”

L was at his limit. It was infuriating enough to see Light Yagami’s father’s face every day, _judging_ him, _questioning_ him. Now, the others were turning on him, too. He clenched and unclenched his fists, taking a few deep breaths to try and calm himself. It didn’t work. He stood in one quick movement, slamming his hands down on the desk and shoving his computer chair back. “I am _NOT_ dropping this case!” He shouted, spinning around to face the group. “How can none of you see what’s happening? This is _exactly_ what Kira wants!” All of his usual composure was gone.

Matsuda took a few steps back with a soft yelp, and now all eyes were on Ryuzaki. Someone in the room muttered, _‘he’s losing it.’_

Aizawa stood up and opened a drawer, taking out the letter of resignation and tossing it onto his desk. “Run after ghosts on your own time, Ryuzaki. I quit.” Everyone remained silent as Aizawa grabbed his things and huffed out the door, slamming it on his way out.

Ide followed suit but was at least apologetic about it. “Sorry, Ryuzaki, but we have to make a decision or our old jobs on the force won’t be waiting for us forever.” 

Soichiro took a softer tact as he watched the two officers go, leaving Mogi, Matsuda, and himself. “It’s not that we aren’t dedicated, it’s that Kira really _has_ become a ghost. It’s been over eight months and we all have careers and families. Sacrificing that has to mean something.” Matsuda nodded mournfully, looking like he was nearly on the verge of tears. 

Watari was standing off in the corner, watching silently. He was of no mind to interfere in this implosion-- if anything, he agreed with the officers. L had been _too_ obsessed, _too_ single-minded in this fruitless pursuit. He was beginning to think the man had lost his objectivity. A change of pace, scenery and most importantly, cases, would do L a world of good.

_Quitting? They’re quitting?!_ L narrowed his eyes, his clenched fists shaking by his sides. “So you’re all just _giving up_? You have _better things to do_ than catch a mass-murderer? Than work with _L_?” His voice was growing louder, a shade of red tingeing his face. When the remaining officers only stared at him, he said, “ _Fine_ , I’ll catch him myself. I’ll do it faster without your constant _interference!_ ” He took several steps forward, grabbing onto his chair as he jabbed a finger in Matsuda’s direction. “Good luck keeping a career after this. You’re better suited as a minimum wage barista than a police officer!” 

Matsuda’s lip trembled and hot, angry tears flowed down his face. Mogi stormed over to his side, “You can’t talk to him like that!”

“And as for _you_ ,” L turned on his heel, dragging the chair with him as he crossed the room to stand in front of Soichiro. “ _Thank you_ , Chief Yagami, for raising such a fine _murderer_! You should really be proud of such an accomplishment!”

Soichiro’s mouth fell open in shock, and his expression quickly morphed from hurt to pure _fury_. After all his patience, all his help and advice-- after how long he’d tolerated L’s accusations of his family, his flouting of the law, his mood swings? How he’d lobbied the Tokyo police to turn a blind eye to the man’s methods, even permitted his own privacy to be invaded? _This_ was how they were to part ways? He quickly closed the distance between them and punched L across the face, winding up his fist for another blow before Mogi and Matsuda grabbed and held him back. 

“Chief!” Mogi’s strong arms restrained Soichiro, pulling him towards the exit. “Stop! He’s not worth it.”

Soichiro said, “Don’t expect any further help from the Tokyo police, _L._ ” He shrugged off the hands of his officers and swept up his briefcase. “And if I ever see you again, I’ll charge you with everything I _should_ have months ago.” He jerked his head at Mogi and Matsuda, who scrambled after him, and then it was silent in the room.

Watari sighed and walked over to L with a tired expression. “I hope you’re well pleased with yourself.”

Holding a hand to his red cheek, L stood in place, slowly registering what had just happened. “I-...did he just-..?” He shuddered, and for a moment, it looked like he might cry. Instead, he grabbed the chair, screaming in frustration as he threw it aside with a swing. It struck the coffee table nearby, shattering the glass. “How- how _dare_ \- how could he just- this is his _son’s fault_!”

“I’m quite sure Light Yagami didn’t force those words from your mouth, L.” Watari went to get the broom, wondering how everything had gone sideways so quickly. This was a clear reminder of why they usually worked alone, but he also wanted L to realize he needed to move on. He set to work righting the chair and sweeping up the broken glass. “Perhaps we _all_ could use a break from this case.” He was sure his old heart could.

“A break?” L turned to face his caretaker, his anger melting into loss and confusion. “You’re siding with them? With him? I can’t just let Kira _get away_..!” Shaking his head, he could feel his eyes starting to sting. He hurried off to his room, slamming the door behind him hard enough to shake the wall. He stayed holed up in his room, sulking slowly turning into embarrassment until his caretaker finally dragged him out of bed and forced him to shower.

  
  


In the days that followed, he only felt shame when he thought back on the episode (or, tantrum, as Watari labeled it) he had in his final interaction with the Task Force. It shouldn’t have surprised L when, a few months later, INTERPOL told him they no longer needed his assistance at all. Most likely, Soichiro and the others had put in a _bad_ word about him so he should have seen it coming. However, his frustration and anger said otherwise. The Kira case was over, and, while the rest of society rejoiced in that fact, L mourned.

* * *

Ryuk glowered from his perch atop the exposed ribcage of a long-dead leviathan, his chin slumped into his hand as he surveyed the gambling going on below. “This blows.”

It was _horrible_ being stuck back in the Realm because, boredom aside, he was shinigami non grata now that it was common knowledge he’d gotten Sidoh’s notebook burned up. The others had teased him a bit (Sidoh never did anything but _whine_ until the King gave him a new Death Note), but Ryuk couldn’t care less about all that. He’d lost his golden opportunity, his _fun_. Light Yagami had been the most interesting human he’d ever encountered in his probably eternal life, but it was all over too soon, maddeningly soon. He’d lucked out finding a human with the mental wherewithal to understand the Death Note’s esoteric rules, but past that, Light had _big_ plans that would have entertained him for a long time! Death, mayhem, apples! 

_Grrrr._ It made him depressed that something as mundane as a little fire had snatched all that away. Light lost all his memories of Ryuk and the Death Note when it had burned up, and the human had just gone back to his normal life. 

“Hey, mopey!” Gook rattled some bones in a bowl as he called up to Ryuk. “Come down here and join the game!”

Kindarrah growled, “Forget him, he’s still sulking over that human. Just write his name already, Ryuk.”

Ryuk rolled his huge yellow eyes and flicked some dirt off the ribs to rain on their heads. “Eh, shut up. Don’t wanna play your boring games. Don’t feel like writin’ names neither.”

Gook rasped a laugh as he cast the bones into the dust, poking at them with his skeletal fingers. “If you’re so taken with humans, go join Gelus and Rem at the portal. Seems like they found an interesting one.”

“Heh, I win.” Kindarrah slapped Gook’s hand away, grabbing the bones to dump in her own bowl. She snarled up at Ryuk, “No, you should just stay away from humans. We’re _reapers_. Have some dignity.”

“Got plenty of dignity, thank you very much.” Ryuk fluffed his wings, turning around to stare in the direction of the portal to Earth. _Might as well see what those two sad sacks are up to_. He spread his wings and flapped over to the portal, a swirling iridescent hole that could show any human you knew the name and face of. But he hung back, crouching behind a rock as he listened to Gelus and Rem. 

“Your obsession with this human is concerning. Why not just write her name and be done with it?” The white, skeletal Shinigami leaned over the other, peering into the portal at Misa Amane once again. The girl was utterly unremarkable in Rem’s eyes. Vain, childish, consumed by the same desires all humans succumbed to. Another ant on that miserable rock of a planet. Even with all of that, she found herself drawn to watch Gelus fawn over the human at all hours of the day. 

“Can’t you see her numbers just as well as I can?” Gelus whispered mournfully, clutching his notebook to his chest. “Today is the day. I can’t imagine how such a beautiful, young life could be cut so short.”

The visible grief on the other shinigami’s face made Rem quite uncomfortable. Part of her was thankful this human was going to die, sick and tired of watching him mope, swoon, and whine. It was true that this human was not at the typical age or health for a human being to die naturally today. However, it became very clear what was going to happen when the young girl turned down an alleyway to take a “shortcut.” The next few seconds would forever be ingrained in the shinigami’s mind. 

Gelus went almost deathly silent, watching as a crazed man approached the human he was so attached to. Suddenly, as if overcome by frantic desperation, the Shinigami whipped open his notebook and began writing. 

“What-...what are you doing?! It’s her time, you said it yourself!” Rem’s protests fell on deaf ears, and she watched in horror as the Shinigami beside her slowly disintegrated into nothing but sand, the sound of the human attacker’s agonized gasps melting into twisted, haunting background noise. Sudden movement through the portal managed to drag her attention away from her dead “friend.” She could only stare in shock as the human girl that was meant to die seconds earlier ran away, very much alive. _His lifespan,_ she realized. _Gelus’ lifespan went to_ **_her._**

_HA!_ Ryuk knew an opportunity when he saw one, and while Rem was distracted, he shot forward as fast as he could to snatch the Death Note half-buried in Gelus’ sandy remains. He didn’t stop flapping, heading straight to his cave and cackling the entire way. “Hyuk hyuk, suckers.”

  
Now he finally had a reason to go back to the human world! Ryuk looked over his shoulder as he sneakily stuffed the stolen Death Note into a crevice in his cave, pretty certain no one had seen him. _Now_ came the hard part-- the waiting-- because there was only one human he was interested in bringing this notebook to and the Shinigami King had kept a close eye on him lately. Ryuk would have to bide his time a little while until the King inevitably turned a blind eye, like he always eventually did, and then Ryuk could sneak back to Earth. It would only be a blink of time for a human but would feel like eons here. Still, the memory of apples, and of a singular human, would keep him patient until the time was right.


	2. This Time Around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the years pass and Kira still doesn’t return, the world accepts what L refuses to. Other things change in the lives of both L and Light. Wedy gets a promotion and Light gets his dream job. Ryuk finally picks his moment to drop a new Death Note on Earth.

In the years that followed the end of the Kira case, L’s obsession with Light Yagami, with _Kira_ , never faltered or faded. A day didn’t go by without at least one thought about the murderer. Of course, the detective would insist he wasn’t obsessed, as he checked daily for suspicious heart attack victims. He was only erring on the side of caution, making sure he was ready “just in case.”

The media didn’t give it up completely either, occasionally having news exposés on the ‘greatest unsolved crime of the century.’ There was a substantial cult surrounding Kira ( _Kira_ _Redivivus_ ) that only seemed to grow in numbers and passion as time went on, and conspiracy theories abounded. An imposter would pop up now and again claiming to be Kira but, of course, it never was, much to L’s dismay. There were several Lifetime movies ( _Side Order of Justice_ and the very forgettable _A Very Kira Christmas_ ) then a _real_ Hollywood blockbuster simply titled _‘Kira_ ,’ not to mention tell-all books from various people tied to the case or affected by Kira (either positively or negatively).

It was three years after the Kira case ended when Quillsh Wammy suddenly passed away from a stroke. L did grieve, how could he not? The man had raised him, but he couldn’t bring himself to be broken down and distraught. Objectively, this was a reality they had both been prepared for for years, although most of the scenarios involved assassinations or other unnatural deaths. In reality, L wasn’t prepared at all. He went to Wammy’s House right away, not knowing where else to go, and Quillsh would want to be buried there.

L waited a week after Watari died, the morning of his funeral, before making a list of potential successors to the role. Roger Ruvie, various other staff and professors at Wammy's House, a handful of old associates of Quillsh's- there wasn’t a single person on the list that he felt could do the job well enough. He kept finding one reason or another to dismiss the thought of recruiting them. However, the answer to his problem came to him quite suddenly. L was, in fact, a grown adult. The role of Watari did not require a parental figure. Watari needed to be a reliable go-between, a “Jack of all trades” with the potential to learn and grow. There was only one person he could think of when he came to that realization.

“Wedy, I want you to take on the role of Watari.”

“What?” Wedy looked up at L through the gauzy black veil she’d worn for Quillsh Wammy’s funeral. There had only been the three of them plus Roger Ruvie, gathered around a muddy hole in the moors out behind Wammy’s House. L certainly wasn’t wasting any time, but she was glad to hear him speak. “Me? I’m flattered, L, but I’m not sure I’m...well, Quillsh left some large shoes to fill.”

Aiber lounged in the corner of the limo, pausing from downing a mini-bottle of vodka. He slurred, “Hey...why are you asking her and not me?” His tone was teasing, trying to lighten the somber mood of the day. 

Wedy sighed and kicked the door to the limo’s minibar shut. “Because there’s only one adult here, and you’re not it.” She smiled at L, “No offence.”

For the first time in almost a week, a faint smile curved L’s lips. “None taken. That’s why I want you to do it. He excelled in his job because he had a varied skill set, as do you. You also know me better than anyone else. I trust you,” he murmured, deciding to not acknowledge Aiber’s remark.

Wedy looked down at her gloved fingers, smiling despite still feeling anxious about taking on such an enormous role. She knew what this meant-- it was a lifelong commitment and L would depend on her completely. “Yes, of course I’ll do it.” She pushed the veil back so she could meet L’s serious gaze. “I’m honored you trust me, L. I’ll do my best.”

Aiber pulled another mini-bottle from his coat, twisting that open and emptying it into his mouth. “Well, I hope the first order of business isn’t ‘get rid of Aiber.’” He hiccuped and added, “I bring valuable assets to the table, too.”

Wedy rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her fond smile. “Like comic relief? A cautionary tale?” 

“As long as you keep your ‘assets’ in your pants, we won’t have a problem,” L muttered, arching a brow at the other man. An added bonus of Wedy being the new Watari was that she existed as a package deal. L had never anticipated the two criminals he hired to work under him would become such close friends, but, in hindsight, it wasn’t very surprising. 

“Mmmhmm, that’s what you’re saying now.” Aiber winked at L but straightened up when Wedy gave him a kick. He coughed and nodded with faux seriousness, “Of course, of course. In the pants. All times.”

While L knew Wedy had respected Wammy deeply, he hadn’t expected that she would take the role of Watari so seriously. Part of his motivation for appointing her had been the potential for having more fun and freedom, and he was a bit more free to do unorthodox things, but Wedy did not hesitate to correct and nag him. His eating habits, his sleeping habits, the way he spoke to people- nothing he did was safe from her criticism. The delivery was sharp, always quick-witted as she cut him to the core. He found himself unable to turn her away, and he felt guilty whenever he “betrayed” her trust. Reluctantly, he settled into his new, slightly healthier, life.

Aiber tagged along to every location they traveled to, brightening the room and providing hours of entertainment. The detective had never been one to drink, but it was impossible to not loosen up around the charismatic man.

Even as L’s life changed so much, his mind remained heavily occupied by Kira. The thoughts were not consistent, however. His anger and bitterness slowly transformed into _something else_ as he closely followed the man’s rising career. Graduating from To-Oh University, then Oxford, and finally...INTERPOL.

* * *

Light took a deep breath as he hovered on the stairs leading into INTERPOL’s headquarters in Lyon, France. Sure, it was just a job interview but they had to be serious since they’d flown him all the way from Japan, right? _Calm down, you got this._ All of Light’s training and education had been leading to this moment so he couldn’t help but be nervous. Plus, his family (especially his father) were so, _so_ excited for him, and he was all the more determined to ace it.

He stepped up to the reception and presented his ID, “Hello, I’m Light Yagami. Here for a meeting with Gilles Compere, Director of Special Projects.” Security was tight in the building, with several armed guards posted at the entrances to the offices inside.

The receptionist nodded and gave Light temporary credentials. “Please step through security and head to the 14th floor. Someone will be there to show you to the Director’s office.”

A few minutes and an elevator ride later, Light had been ushered into the Director’s posh office and seated in front of an enormous mahogany desk. 

Gilles lifted his head from where he had been looking over Light’s resume once again. He offered a professional, yet friendly smile to the younger man. “Mr. Yagami, it’s nice to finally meet you.” He extended his hand over the desk, shaking Light's hand. “Would you like anything to drink or eat while we talk?”

Light smiled and shook his head. “No, thank you. I arrived a little early and took the chance to sample the food at one of your famous French bistros.” He nodded out the floor-to-ceiling window behind the desk. “The food is certainly a selling point of the job.”

The Director chuckled, nodding slowly. “Yes, although I hear our dental insurance is nice, too,” he mused. A mediocre joke to break the ice. “I was looking over your resume and records, and I have a few questions and concerns.” Shifting in his seat, he scooted closer to the desk. “Let’s talk about 2014. It says on here that you have a dismissed charge of arson?” He arched a brow. “May I ask what occurred?”

Light blinked once in surprise before recovering completely. Even though he’d never been charged with any crime, it made sense that INTERPOL would have records even the police didn’t. “Of course.” He took a deep breath, trying to keep his tone calm even as he remembered that _frustrating_ detective who tried to frame him for something he didn’t do. “It was all a misunderstanding. I was 17 and my curiosity got the better of me, I suppose. I put a little trap on one of my desk drawers and it happened to go off, setting my desk on fire.” He smiled, waving a hand in nonchalance. “Just a silly thing teenagers do and nobody was hurt. An _accident._ ” He was really hoping Compere wasn’t going to ask about _L_ \-- surely he didn’t know about that?

Gilles looked down at the paper before him once more. “According to this, you were interrogated by the Kira task force in Tokyo at the time.” He furrowed his brows, looking back up at Light. “I apologize, I’m just not quite sure what a case of accidental arson has to do with Kira.”

_Damn._ “To be perfectly frank, neither was I. I’m _still_ not sure what that was about. My father was heading the Tokyo Police side of the Kira Task Force and they were working with...the detective known as L.” Light forced himself not to say it with the distaste he felt. “L was the one that interrogated me, he seemed to believe I had some kind of evidence in the desk?” He couldn’t help but laugh and held up a hand in apology. “Sorry, sir, it’s just been a long time since I remembered how ridiculous all that was. Although it was pretty unpleasant at the time.”

_L...how long has it been since I even thought about that incident?_ The Director let out a heavy sigh, his smile fading. “I see. It makes sense now. That was around when we stopped working with L.” Distaste was obvious on the man’s face. “Did your father ever tell you what happened?”

“What do you mean?” Light gave Compere a puzzled look. “My understanding was that Kira vanished and then the case ended, or that’s what he told me.”

Gilles laughed quietly, rubbing at his temples for a moment. “That’s the simplified version of events, yes. L dragged that case on for months before having a meltdown that resulted in the entire task force quitting and reporting him for misconduct and privacy violations. I believe, if your father was heading it, he struck L.”

Even Light couldn’t hide the absolutely dumbfounded look on his face. “My father _hit_ L?” A tiny smile tugged at the corner of his mouth but he forced himself to stifle it. _Holy shit! Go Dad!_ All these years he’d never known about that! He took a deep breath to process all that information. “Wow. No sir, I never knew about that. Although I will say that L must have _really_ provoked him to get that kind of reaction from my father. He’s not the Chief of Police for nothing. He’s known for his fairness and grace under fire.” Light was _insanely_ curious as to what that provocation was. “If you pardon my curiosity, what did L say?”

The director tipped his head to the side slightly, struggling to remember exactly what the file said. “...I _believe_ it was a personal remark about his family? All I know for certain is that, following the incident, INTERPOL no longer has plans to work with L again for the foreseeable future.” Sighing, he set the paper aside. “Truly a disappointment.”

“I see. Yes, he’s very protective of his family, and L was very suspicious and unkind to me.” Light made a mental note to hug his father extra tight when he got back to Tokyo, no matter what the outcome of this interview was. “I suppose that at least puts the accident with my desk into perspective though. L was...less than professional. As you can see, I was never charged with anything.” 

Waving his hand dismissively, Gilles smiled once again. “Knowing L was involved explains everything for me. Don’t worry about it. I can’t say I never made a poor decision when I was a teen.” With a soft chuckle, he leaned back into his chair. “Now, aside from that, your resume is quite impressive. Let’s run through some general questions, but I feel confident in your potential here.”

* * *

Despite the fact that things had ended poorly the last time, L still had contacts within INTERPOL. When he found out that Light already had an interview with them, he _knew_ he had to intervene. The thought of letting _Kira_ work his way up the organization was unbearable, and a small, but very vocal part of him wanted the younger man to work for him. _Just to observe him. He’ll start killing again. He has to._

Frowning to himself, L dialed the number he’d been given, one that would send him right through to the Director’s office, rather than dealing with any secretaries or lower agents.

Gilles was busy that morning, having just come into the office as his phone rang. He picked it up without checking for the caller since his secretary always screened his calls anyway. “Compere here.”

“Do not hire Light Yagami,” L muttered, fidgeting with the microphone cord. As always, his voice was heavily modulated to disguise it. “He cannot be trusted and is a liability.” _I’m not even sure if this will work...but it’s worth it. It has to be worth it._

“Who in the--” Gilles set his briefcase down and plopped in his chair with a frown. “...L.” His frown deepened as he sat back in his chair with a heavy sigh. “I changed this number. It is _not_ for your personal use. INTERPOL wants nothing to do with you.” 

Anger bubbled up inside of the detective, a strong feeling he hadn’t experienced since the end of the Kira case. Clenching his fists, he narrowed his eyes. “My advice is in your best interest. Light Yagami is not reliable. He is not trustworthy. He is _dangerous_ ,” he insisted, gritting his teeth. “You’ll thank me in the future.”

“You have some nerve, meddling in our hiring process. But that’s what we should expect from L’s methods, hmm?” Gilles felt angry and his tone shifted to show it. He was still so disappointed with how the Kira case had ended, especially since _he’d_ been the one to recommend L in the first place. “We’re already aware of your vendetta against this exceptional young man and we want none of it, do you hear me? As far as INTERPOL is concerned, the unreliable, untrustworthy, _dangerous_ one is you!” He stood up, red-faced as he started to pace his office. “And I’ll thank _you_ to never call this number again!” He ended the call with a huff.

L stared at his computer screen, dumbfounded. _Vendetta? Is he serious? Has Yagami already begun manipulating them?_ Shifting, he lowered his gaze to his coffee cup. _...did INTERPOL just cut me off? Surely not…_

Within the next hour, the detective was left miserable after finding that every single one of his contacts within the organization cut contact with him. His misery went through multiple stages. At first, he pouted, locked in his own room. Then, he began making a mess of his room, tossing things aside and emptying drawers, desperately trying to exert his frustration. When none of this helped, he moved on to his final and newest step, storming out of his room and over to the minibar, fixing himself a drink.

“Oho! What’s this?” Aiber was already at the bar, clinking some ice into a fresh glass. 

Wedy gave L a side-eye from the kitchen where she was cooking dinner. _Uh oh, tantrum time._ “There _better_ not be a mess in there, L. I’m not cleaning it up this time.” She was happy to act as Watari but even she had her lines in the sand.

“ _Nothing_ ,” L snapped, slamming his glass down on the counter loudly. “Nothing is wrong. Nothing happened.” He wasn’t even aware of the fact that neither of them asked him those questions, far too wrapped up in his own distress. 

Aiber and Wedy exchanged a look before Aiber topped off L’s glass with some more limoncello. “I see. Then is there _nothing_ you’d like to talk about?”

The detective sat down at the bar, holding his face in his hand. “...I’ve lost INTERPOL,” he muttered, frowning deeply. “It’s all Light Yagami’s fault. As always.” Huffing, he grabbed the glass and took a swig.

Wedy cleared her throat, rummaging in the fridge for a slice of cake she always kept on hand for such an occasion. She and Aiber jokingly referred to it as the ‘Kira Cake.’ “Here you go, L.” She added a fork to the plate and set it in front of L at the bar. “Drown your sorrows in frosting.”

“How’s this one Yagami’s fault exactly?” Aiber climbed into the bar stool next to L. “Not that we don’t, uh, believe you or anything.”

Sighing heavily, L stared down at his slice of cake. He grabbed the fork, spending a moment just poking and pressing at it, mutilating the dessert. “INTERPOL is going to hire him. I called to warn them against it, and now I’ve lost all of my contacts on the inside.” He scooped up a small pile of crushed cake, shoving it into his mouth with a barely audible whine. 

“So, INTERPOL decides to hire Yagami and...did he tell them to cut you off?” Wedy very much doubted that someone who hadn’t even been hired yet had that kind of power. It was a _lot_ more likely that L had stuck his nose into something he shouldn’t have or exchanged some choice words. 

The detective scoffed, shooting a look at Wedy. “He’s clearly already started manipulating them. Why else would they abandon me like this? My work is critical for them! He’s wormed his way in and he’s turned them against me!” Swearing under his breath, he took a gulp of his drink.

Aiber chuckled, “Hey, you’ve always got Coil and Deneuve, right?”

* * *

“Is anyone sitting here?” 

Light looked up from his Economist magazine, annoyed to be bothered before the flight attendant had brought him his scotch. “Yes.” He moved his carry-on bag into the seat next to him, giving the overdressed businessman a bland smile. “It’s taken.” He’d purchased the extra seat exactly so he wouldn’t have to sit beside anyone and endure inane chit-chat all the way from Tokyo to Paris. “This is First Class. I’m sure your ticket indicates where you’re _supposed_ to be sitting.” 

“Oh, but I thought you might like the compa--”

“I wouldn’t.” Light snapped his magazine open, ignoring the businessman until the rest of the passenger queue pushed him down the aisle. 

_Finally._ He relaxed when his drink arrived and the plane took off. He had conflicting feelings about leaving Japan, his family, everything that was familiar to him, but being the youngest criminal psychology graduate to ever be recruited by INTERPOL was a distinct honor. He had a briefing the day after tomorrow and would meet the men and women working under him in his private task force, which meant he needed to get a little sleep on this red-eye flight. It was more likely he’d review the details of the new case that INTERPOL had already assigned to him so he’d be immaculately prepared. The case was intriguing but nothing entirely special-- a terrorist cell had crossed several borders in Europe to attack passenger trains and thus international authorities had gotten involved. His role was to create a profile of the terrorists and try to predict where the next attacks would be, determine any patterns in the evidence or behavior INTERPOL could use to catch them. 

Three hours into the flight, most of the passengers were asleep and Light, too, was almost dozing off. The soft hum of the engines and dim lighting made his eyelids grow heavy as he stared at his laptop. They had just about closed when he felt something drop into his lap. “Hmm?”

Light immediately looked down at the black notebook, puzzled as to who threw it at him. _What’s those odd markings on the cover?_ But as soon as his fingertips touched the leather cover, he had to clamp a hand over his mouth to stifle his scream. Flashes of names, faces, plans, _deaths,_ lies...so many lies cycled through his mind, layering one on top of the other until his body jerked with realization--- _OH MY GOD I’M…_

“Heh. Long time no see, Light-o.”

Light slowly turned wide, watery eyes to the seat next to him. He let out a hiss behind his hand as he took in the enormous shinigami lounging comfortably, fiddling with the reclining lever and digging in the seat pocket for the in-flight crossword puzzle. Even worse, Light KNEW this being. He whispered hoarsely, “R-ryuk?!!”

“Ooo, glad to see you ain’t forgotten your old pal! Hyuk hyuk.” Ryuk’s seat laid back with a sudden jerk, his long legs extending halfway through the bulkhead. “Miss me?”

Light lowered his hand, trying to slow his breathing to keep from hyperventilating on the spot. So much made sense now-- the strange dreams over the years, odd sense of deja vu when he read about old news coverage about Kira, the weird feeling he got when he saw apples. 

Everything about what happened with his _desk_. 

He glanced around nervously and whispered, “I...well, don’t be offended, but I _forgot_ about you. Until right now.” He turned the notebook over in his hands, immediately recognizing that it wasn’t the same as the first one-- the letters on the front were in a language he didn’t recognize. “Wait...why am I remembering everything now? The other notebook--”

“Burnt up? Yeah, that really sucked.” Ryuk frowned and poked Light with his ornately-carved pen. “Better be more careful with this one. Went through a lotta trouble to get you another one!” He turned to his crossword, scribbling something in the boxes that Light knew was nowhere near correct. “Anyway, human memory is just up to the shinigami. I say you remember, you remember!”

Light slowly smiled as he turned to the first blank page in the notebook and traced a single finger down it’s smooth pages. “This is incredible. I can’t believe you came back!” _So much potential here. A new start. I’ve learned so much more since I was a dumb teenager, and now I have a position at INTERPOL!_ “Wait…” He gave Ryuk a satisfied smirk. _Something’s certainly different this time around._ “That means you _chose_ me this time. No more of those excuses about dropping it randomly?

“Eh, well,” Ryuk shrugged, and if the shinigami could have blushed he probably would have. “Mebbe. Don’t let it go to yer head. Just lookin’ for a good time is all.”

Light picked up the in-flight pillow, burying his face in it when he couldn’t hold back his laughter. _L was right all along and never even knew it. That fire wasn’t about my diary, it was about my DEATH NOTE!_ He wished dearly he could have seen the detective's face during that interrogation so many years ago. Wished he could have been there when his Dad clocked L. He burst into giggles again, overwhelmed and elated and _ready_ to pick right back up where he left off. 

“Pfft, don’t tell me ya lost your marbles since I been gone.” Ryuk snickered, poking at the pillow with a talon. “Thought you might have grown up a bit.” But he was laughing right along with Light, grinning widely at how much he’d _missed_ this. _We’re gonna have fun again!_

Light snorted once more and lowered the pillow, taking a few deep breaths and a sip of water. “Oh I have, this is just...a _lot_ to take in.” He looked back down at the new Death Note, deciding then and there he needed to come up with a failsafe way to never, _ever_ forget it again. _Gonna have to give that some thought._ “Don’t worry, Ryuk, I’ll be a _lot_ more careful this time.”

Ryuk looked up sharply from his crossword, eyes glowing hopefully. “That mean what I think it means? Kira’s BACK?”

Light smirked and tucked the notebook into his pants with a slight nod. A whisper, “Damn right he’s back.”


	3. Lessons Learned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L’s in too deep with his obsession with Light, and Wedy and Aiber are starting to catch on. Gelus’ and Ryuk’s absence are noted in the Shinigami Realm, putting Rem in the spotlight. Light experiments with the Death Note in an attempt to never forget it again. L experiments in another way.

Not that he’d admit it to Wedy and Aiber, but L felt incomplete without a real challenge, without Kira in his life. He’d knocked down endless cases since _technically_ failing to catch Kira, but the victories always rang hollow. It felt inevitable that he would train his focus on Light Yagami once more, and soon after the man had left To-Oh to pursue his Master’s degree in Criminal Psychology at Oxford, L had taken a much _keener_ interest. INTERPOL hired Light, of course, ignoring L’s advice. Which only made everything that much more infuriating.

Light had changed drastically over the years, achieving success after success. The thing that caught the detective’s attention the most was the fact that, somehow, Light only grew more attractive with age. He was no longer some petulant teenager whining about silly mistakes and calling him an “asshole.” The difference was almost night and day, to L, anyway. It was undeniable that his perception was skewed in the matter, but the Light he watched from afar now was only feeding into his desire for Kira. _This_ Light was perfect for the role of Kira, of being his ultimate challenge. 

Cameras flashed on the screen as L leaned in closer, not wanting to miss a moment of Light’s first press conference as a Special Agent at INTERPOL. The youngest person to work for INTERPOL was quite the achievement (although L could argue that title should go to _him_ instead, but his age had not been a known fact at the time). 

“INTERPOL is pleased to confirm that we’ve successfully captured the terrorist cell responsible for the vicious attacks on trains throughout Europe. In fact, the leader was apprehended with a bomb strapped to his body, about to board a train to London…”

_He still speaks so eloquently...definitely going to be INTERPOL’s newest shining star…_ L licked his lips, practically pressing his nose to the screen, as if trying to burn every detail into his retinas. “Cunning, manipulative, brilliant-” His breath hitched as he watched Light straighten his tie. “...beautiful…” He froze, his eyes glued to the broadcast. Light was walking away, maybe if the camera was just a little lower… His hand shot out to grip the side of the monitor. A nearby agent was beside Light, moving closer, grabbing his arm- _God, if I was there- if that could be_ **_me_** _…_

_“Don’t fucking touch me.”_

A guttural, primal sound rumbled in L’s throat as he watched Light mouth those cold words with a bright, flawless smile.

“Hey, we were just about to order takeout…” Aiber trailed off as he noticed L glued to the screen, not even registering his presence. “Yo, earth to L.” He snickered and watched as an attractive man on-screen got into a black sedan and disappeared. _L’s watching that guy with something more than professional interest_. “Need me to get you something to wipe up that drool?”

L nearly fell out of his chair, scrambling back into his usual sitting position. His face was a bright shade of red as he stared at Aiber in shock. “I-...I was just-...”

“That wasn’t Light _Yagami_ was it?” Aiber leaned against the doorway, a knowing smile on his face. This wasn’t the first time he’d caught L secretly watching Light over the years, although the behavior had drastically escalated since Light had joined INTERPOL.

The detective wet his lips nervously, fidgeting with his sleeve. “...I’m just observing him. He’s making a name for himself within INTERPOL. I-” Squirming, he dropped his gaze. “...don’t tell Wedy.”

Aiber hummed, looking from the paused screen (L had obviously been recording that) back to L. “What she don’t know won’t hurt her.” Who was he to judge who L got thirsty over? L didn’t judge _him_ for being an occasional cad. He pulled up a chair beside L and thumped at the menu he was holding. “Now about take-out….”

While L thought about Light almost every day, the next time the man came completely to the forefront of his mind was one month later. Even though he had access to countless sources of information, he did have a nostalgic fondness for newspapers, going as far as to print out notable pages to add to folders. Frowning to himself, the detective scanned through the daily headlines. _“How to Tell if You’re in Too Deep.” Must be a slow news day if they’re publishing this trash._ He sighed and shook his head, ready to close out when another headline caught his eye. _“Terror Suspects Perish in Bus Explosion, INTERPOL Investigating.” Hold on…_

Leaning forward, L squinted faintly, focusing on the screen. _I recognize those names...where do I know them from..?_ When the realization finally struck him, he recoiled back into his seat. _Light’s. They were Light’s._ He shivered faintly at the memory of the press conference, but immediately pushed those thoughts away, focusing on this new information. His mind was buzzing with excitement as he weighed the odds. Deciding to trust his gut instinct, he turned his head and called out, “Wedy, Aiber! Get in here immediately!”

Aiber lifted his head from where he’d passed out in the living room watching a Star Wars marathon. “Eh?” He squinted at the clock, groaning at the time. “It’s 3 o’fucking clock, L!”

Wedy had already dashed out of her bedroom, hurriedly wrapping herself in a kimono-style robe as she bustled into L’s office. “L? What’s the matter?”

A massive and almost unnerving grin was on L’s face as he stared at Wedy. “He’s back! It’s finally happening- Kira is back!” Not only was the delight unfitting for the situation, it was bizarre on L, looking almost crazed. 

_That_ got Aiber’s attention and he stumbled into the office doorway, yawning. “Huh? How you figure?”

Wedy asked seriously, “Are criminals having sudden heart attacks again?”

The detective shook his head, pointing eagerly at his monitor. “No, no, it’s even better than that! He’s killing his own arrests! He’s not even using heart attacks this time!” He pushed himself and his chair to the side to make room for the two to see for themselves. 

“ _He?”_ Wedy arched a brow and leaned over L’s shoulder to read the news story. _Here we go again._

Aiber snorted, humming facetiously, “Who oh who could it be?”

“L…” Wedy sighed and leaned back up, a suddenly tired look on her face. “That’s a bus crash. Kira never killed anyone like that, unless I’m mistaken.”

Aiber scanned the story as well, rubbing at his bleary eyes to make them focus. “Yeah, it says there was a loose fuel line.” He squinted, mulling it over using the small part of his brain that was awake. “Doesn’t sound too much like Kira methods I remember.”

_They don’t believe me. How can they not believe me?!_ L frowned, shaking his head. “Unless he can use other methods. It’s too big of a coincidence. They were going to blow up a train, and now they die in a bus explosion? They were _his_ arrests!”

“It’s...not that big of a coincidence.” Wedy was trying to bring L back down to Earth, to reality. The detective’s manic, sleep-deprived state was very apparent. “Traffic accidents are very common. A leading cause of death worldwide.”

“Mmhmm, and how would we prove it was Kira, anyway?” Aiber patted L on the shoulder sympathetically. “I mean it’s too bad they didn’t die of heart attacks, that would at least be a pattern.”

“Too bad?” Wedy slapped Aiber on the arm playfully then turned back to L. “Why don’t you get some sleep. I think...you need some.” She gave L a smile and led Aiber out of the office, closing the door behind them.

Ignoring Wedy’s suggestion, L spent the next two hours pouring over every detail of the terrorist case. The more information he saw, the more he felt assured in his assumption that Kira was back. Eventually, he passed out on his desk, leaving one of the dead suspect's autopsies on the table. 

* * *

“Hyuk hyuk.” Ryuk grinned at the scene playing out on the TV, a prison bus exploding into flames and blasting metal in all directions. Multiple cars swerved to avoid crashing into the wreckage, and miraculously, none of them did. Of course, it wasn’t a miracle per se, just the very detailed death Light had been planning for these terrorists since they were apprehended. He teased, “Heart attacks ain’t good enough for ya anymore?”

“Oh, it’s not that.” Light smiled, still gazing at the inferno on the screen. “It’s that everyone would know Kira was back if five terrorists suddenly dropped dead of heart attacks.”

“Dontcha want them to know?” Ryuk stretched his wings over the back of the couch, letting them flop to the floor.

“Not yet.” Light got up and retrieved the Death Note from its hiding place in a safe, personally installed as a seamless feature of the built-in bookshelves. “I’m not taking any chances and don’t want to expose myself too soon. The world’s changed since you’ve been away, Ryuk, it’s a lot harder to hide these days. Online tracking, face recognition, cameras everywhere in public places. It’s a double-edged sword for me.”

“Guess it means you can find people easier too, though.” Ryuk followed Light to his job each day but was only ever half-paying attention to those boring meetings and conference calls. He found other things to occupy him though, France was a whole new environment to explore and learn about.

Light nodded as he sat back down beside the shinigami, muting the TV announcer. “I have access to _so_ much information through INTERPOL. The databases of the entire world!” He laughed and added, “No more hacking into Dad’s computer for intel.” There was nothing suspicious about searching for data on criminals for him now-- it was his _job_. “I really couldn’t have planned all this better if I’d tried.” 

However, something had been bothering him ever since he’d gotten the notebook back. “Ryuk...I’ve been thinking about ways to make sure that I never forget the Death Note again. So I was wondering, is fire the only thing that can destroy it? What about water? Time?”

“Hmm. Fire’s the only thing I’ve ever seen destroy it. Time sure won’t-- I’ve had this one for, uh, a long time.” Ryuk patted his own Death Note strapped to his pants. “I mean, it ain’t exactly made outta paper. It’s shinigami magic through and through. Not from _this_ world.”

Light ripped off the corner of one page, recalling the rules in his mind. “And even a small part of it has all the properties of the whole.”

“Yup, although no self-respectin’ shinigami is gonna haunt a little scrap, hyuk hyuk. That’d be embarrassin.” Ryuk speared the little piece of paper on one of his talons and dropped it into Light’s glass of water. He peered down into the glass, watching. “Is somethin’ supposed to happen?”

Light giggled and picked up the glass, swirling it around. “It’s definitely not getting soggy but maybe I’ll leave it overnight.” He set the glass on the kitchen counter, scribbling the current time on a notepad. He jotted down a few more methods he wanted to use to test it. _Acid. Strong bases. Termites. Mold…_

“You and your experiments, hyuk hyuk.” Ryuk reached for an apple and downed it, thinking that while Light might be more grown-up and cautious, some things about his human never changed. He was quite glad about that. “Hey, what kinda vid-yo games they got in the world now?”

Light snorted and closed his pen, tossing it on the counter. “Better ones than Mario Golf, that’s for sure.” 

* * *

(meanwhile in the Shinigami Realm)

Following Gelus’s death, Rem did absolutely nothing. She kept silent. She didn’t tell any of the other shinigami, she didn’t report his death to the king- she minded her own business and kept to herself, just as she always did. To her, the risks of taking action were worse than those of inaction. As far as she knew, there was no precedence for this, and she didn’t want to be silenced or accused of ending Gelus’s life herself. Everything went back to normal, as if the other shinigami had never existed in the first place.

This peace would not last, however. At one of their meetings (which were typically just loose gatherings where Justin relayed absolutely no changes and no interesting information from the king- a leftover formality), the topic Rem had been dreading was broached.

“Hey, weren’t there more of you at the last meeting?” Justin inquired from the gaudy chair he was affixed to. “Ryuk’s missing…” He paused, lifting his head to look at each face around him. “...and where’s the other one? The sad, boring one? Gelus?”

Rem stiffened up ever so slightly, dread washing over her. _Just act as though you know nothing. He has no reason to suspect anything of you_ , she reminded herself, idly tossing a small rock up onto a nearby ledge. _Look bored. Look uncaring._

“Ryuk? He’s probably just screwing around somewhere. Not the first time he’s missed a meeting,” a shinigami near the back spoke up, rattling as they shrugged. “ ‘dunno about the other one.”

Deridovey chattered his skeletal jaws, rasping out, “Ask Rem. She was always hanging around Gelus by the portal. But that was _aaaaages_ ago.”

Kindarrah nodded, “Thas’ right, spying on a human girl.” She laughed, a horrible noise, “Maybe Gelus got too lovesick and fell in the portal.”

“ _LOVESICK?!”_ Justin gripped the armrests of his throne, trying to discern if this was all just a joke. With this rabble, he never knew. “Rem.” His neck made a metallic creaking noise as he turned to look at her. “Have you seen Gelus?”

_Of course. Why did I expect anything else?_ Rem shifted, hesitating for a moment before standing. “Yes, I did see him. He…” She paused, glancing at the others and then back to Justin. It was always incredibly unnerving when the shinigami actually moved his head. “...he perished.”

There was an eerie silence as every shinigami froze in place. Even the legs on Justin’s throne stilled their usually incessant tapping and scratching. He finally spoke up, voice grave, “Perished how?” The rest of the shinigami craned their necks to look at Rem, whispering among themselves. The death of a shinigami was incredibly rare, in fact, most of them had never seen it happen.

Discomfort hung over Rem as she forced herself to keep eye contact with her superior. “He...turned to sand.” She knew that specific detail wasn’t what the shinigami wanted from her, so, after another brief pause, she continued with a frown. “The human was going to die. I was there to watch, as I knew when her lifespan was meant to end. She was meant to be murdered by another human.” Her eyes flicked down to the ground. It was difficult to comprehend the strange, heavy feeling that was weighing on her as she remembered the events. “Gelus wrote the name of the human that was going to kill her. That human died. Gelus died. The girl did not.”

Cries went out from the shinigami, echoing in the ruined chamber. Justin held up a hand to silence them. “I see. You should have informed us right away, Rem.” He sighed and a small amount of dusty steam emitted from his golden nostrils. “Well, that was a very _stupid_ thing for Gelus to do--”

Someone called from the back, “He never was a good shinigami anyway! Good riddance!” The rest of the shinigami broke into laughter. That is, until Justin’s diamond eyes began to glow ominously. Then they all shut up.

“ _AS I WAS SAYING_ , it was stupid but can’t be helped now.” Justin thought perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing to have the worst among them end up as examples of what could happen. He had a hard enough time inspiring them to be less lazy. Perhaps some fear would do them good. “Gelus is gone.” He extended his bejeweled hand. “Give me his Death Note, Rem. I will return it to the archives.”

Confusion washed over Rem’s face. _...his notebook? But I thought-_ “Did it not go there automatically, Justin?” She tilted her head slightly. “There was no notebook. I assumed it returned to the King upon Gelus’s death. Unless it perished along with its owner?”

“Hmmm.” Justin pulled his hand back to stroke his chin, making a screeching of metal on metal. “It’s been many ages since this happened so it is possible. I will consult with the King as to whether he’s added any new magicks to the notebooks lately.” The King did love to add new rules and other enchantments to the Death Notes at a whim, it was all Justin could do to keep up with them all and serve as the Answer God of the realm. “We’ll discuss it at the next town hall.”

* * *

Over the next month, Light continued to experiment with the Death Note to find the limits of its physical structure. By the end of it, he was almost certain that it could only be properly _destroyed_ by fire (and in that case, the cover as well as the pages had to burn) and had discovered something quite interesting about how it reacted with acid. A piece of the Death Note dropped into acid disintegrated _but_ wasn’t inactive. 

“Ryuk…” Light held up the vial of acid to the shinigami. “This acid is the same pH as the human stomach.” He swirled it around a little, unable to see any bits of the paper left. Whatever bonded it together had been broken but the molecules were still there. 

“Eh? So what?” Ryuk’s shinigami eyes had been a useful tool for Light’s projects, able to discern things at a microscopic level.

“ _So_ ...I wonder if I...if I were to eat some of this paper--” Light was interrupted by Ryuk’s loud cackling and he rolled his eyes. “Listen will you!” He swatted at the shinigami but had to laugh too, it _did_ sound pretty crazy. “This is a perfect way to never forget the Death Note again, see? The paper gets broken down and becomes a part of my body! That way I’ll always be touching the Death Note, in a way. Even if something happens to the Death Note itself, I’d never forget I was Kira again.” 

“Whoa.” Ryuk stared at Light a moment, mulling that over. Technically, even if Light lost his memories again Ryuk could give them back, but he knew Light, and Light didn’t trust anyone with something that important. “I guess...yeah, I guess that might work. Huh.” _Never would have thought of that, but that’s Light-o for ya._ “But ain’t ya scared it might be like poison to humans or somethin’? Like I told ya, it ain’t a part of your world.”

“No, Ryuk, I’m not afraid.” Light tore off a fresh piece of the Death Note, just a tiny one, and held it up in front of him. It wasn’t going to taste good but it was so small he’d barely have it on his tongue long enough to notice. “I’ll try just this bit, and see what happens.” _Here goes_. He stuck it in his mouth and swallowed, pleasantly surprised that it was tasteless. He and Ryuk stared at each other in silence, waiting to see if there were any ill effects. 

“Nothin.’” Ryuk used his eyes to peer into Light’s body, checking if anything was going wrong in there. _Nope._ “Looks normal so far.” He could see the tiny paper piece dissolving, just like Light had predicted. “Feel any different?” 

Light shook his head.

* * *

It was one month later the next time L was ‘caught.’ His obsession was becoming a bit harder to explain and causing a lot more trouble. Just like the first time, Wedy and Aiber did not believe him- although they did humor him, at least. L only felt more and more confident in his belief that Kira was back as suspicious “accidental” deaths continued to crop up. Most of the victims were the corrupt and wealthy, from a twisted ex-politician to a mob boss from Monaco, Kira’s actions seemed much more _focused_ and _pointed_ now. That thrilled L. He could already see what a massive challenge this would be. Another game between himself and Light, the game he was denied six years ago. However, he was not very good at hiding this growing obsession.

Wedy spied a picture in the printer tray that _she_ had most definitely not printed. “What’s this?” She picked up the glossy color print-out of an extremely attractive, shirtless man sunning himself on a balcony, a close-up from the neck down. She recognized a logo on the man’s towel as a hotel in Ibiza. “Hmmm.” She brought the picture over to where L and Aiber were working, tossing it on the coffee table. “Which one of you horndogs printed this?”

“You’re asking for a ‘horndog’ when there’s only one in the room?” L muttered, not looking up from his laptop initially, his fingers flying across the keyboard. His curiosity getting the best of him, he lifted his head, assuming it would be a photo of some woman. He stiffened up, immediately recognizing the picture. _How- oh fuck, I didn’t update the printer software, it must have reprinted that…_ Normally, the detective had no trouble hiding his emotions, but the shock and panic that flickered across his face said everything. 

Wedy’s eyes went wide, not even paying attention to Aiber’s lame protests that it was his and to give it back, please. “Uh uh, this isn’t yours, for _once_.” She pointed a long red nail down at the picture, looking right at L. “Is this who I think it is? Light Yagami?” Tapping a few more times, “This was taken with a professional-grade telephoto lens, L. Are you spying on him?” She was somewhat offended that, as Watari, L hadn’t clued her in that he’d hired undercover surveillance.

Aiber cleared his throat and fidgeted, he really hated it when Wedy shifted into scold mode. “Anybody else need a drink?” He got up and drifted towards the bar and out of firing range.

L suddenly felt like he was eight-years-old all over again, caught with his hand wedged into the candy jar. “I- ah-...I have been _observing_ Light Yagami for a while now, yes,” he mumbled, forcing his eyes back down to his laptop screen. “He is a notable figure in INTERPOL and a previous suspect of mine. It’s only natural and logical to keep tabs on him.”

“It’s only natural and logical you take shirtless pictures of him vacationing in Spain?” Wedy’s lips formed a tight smile. “I know when I’m being bullshitted, L. When are you going to give up on him? The Kira case ended six _years_ ago.”

Aiber rejoined them on the couch with an enormous Bloody Mary. “Might as well ‘fess up, L.” An exaggerated whisper behind his hand, “Bout your little crush, I mean.”

“Crush?!” L sputtered, lifting his head again to shoot a look at Aiber. “I-...that’s _nonsense_. The case is unsolved, thus, it is still ongoing, and Light Yagami is an ongoing suspect. I will continue to monitor him. I’ve been collecting evidence and information.” The blush forming on his cheeks made it clear just what kind of “evidence and information” it was.

“Oh? Let’s see it then.” Wedy leaned back up with a wry smile, hands on her hips. “This _evidence_.”

The detective felt like he might have to take Aiber up on that offer of a drink, because his mouth was suddenly very dry. “...ah. Alright.” Slowly, he closed his laptop and set it aside, climbing out of his chair. He took his time, looking like a man walking to his death sentence as he headed into his office. He hesitated for a moment before flicking on the lights and pulling the curtain. Behind it, obscuring the window, was a corkboard with photos of Light Yagami in various locations. Paperwork was also pinned to the board, detailing the young man’s achievements and records. Most notable, however, was the fact that more than half of the photos were of Light in compromising positions and/or less than professional clothing.

“Oh my god…” Wedy scanned the _large_ corkboard, eyes going wider and wider. The pictures ranged from Light dressed up at fancy galas to Light _undressing,_ obviously photographed through his bedroom window. There were photos of him dining at outdoor cafes, zoomed in on his mouth and a slight drip of liquid down his jaw as he laughed. There were more of him in swimsuits or bending over, playing tennis or jogging, sweat leaking through his clothes. Some of him coming out of a hot tub and his swim trunks sagging down to expose a hint of pubic hair. “Oh my _god_ , L...this isn’t evidence, it’s a spank bank!”

Aiber snorted into his Bloody Mary, turning away to hide his giggles. “Aw, leave the poor man alone, Wedy. Everyone has their small vices.”

“Small vices I can accept, Aiber.” Wedy did soften her tone, though, since it was true that L had few enough pleasures in his life. “But if you really think this man may be Kira...?” 

L hunched over more than his usual slouch, his face red with shame. “I-I just-...I was-...” His mind reeled as he desperately hunted for some excuse, some explanation for why he was essentially stalking a man he has suspected of mass-murder for over six years. “...I don’t know.” He squirmed, staring down at his hands. “I’m just monitoring him.”

Wedy said, “And has he done anything suspicious? At all?”

“He’s suspiciously _hot_.” Aiber stepped closer to the board, grinning at the pictures.

“He continues to manipulate people and disguise his true intentions and emotions without flaw,” L muttered, lifting his gaze to look at the corkboard. 

“You mean, like we do?” Wedy arched a brow. “Like _you_ do?” Certainly this whole investigation into Light Yagami hadn’t been on her radar despite being as close to L as anyone.

“He continues to fit my profile of Kira perfectly.”

“Except Kira kills people and nobody’s died of suspicious heart attacks lately.” Wedy threw her hands up with a sigh. “Whatever. I give up.” She grabbed Aiber by the collar and yanked him away from the corkboard, dragging him from L’s room.

Aiber whispered to L as he stumbled away, “Can I see more later?”

“Get out of my office,” the detective huffed, yanking the curtain shut.

* * *

The desire L felt began to consume him, entering the rare dreams he had. 

It didn’t take long for Aiber to notice the bags under L’s eyes getting deeper, even as the man’s overall health seemed better under Wedy’s watchful eye. Aiber waited until they were drinking, celebrating some minor victory over a case in Moscow, to bring it up. “Maybe now that this case is over, you’ll get a little more sleep, hmm?” He cast a look over his shoulder, but Wedy had already gone to bed. Stirring his martini, “I know you’re an insomniac, L, but lately...its been something _else_.” 

L made a face, idly tilting his glass and watching the ice move around, clinking. “...you aren’t incorrect, my sleeping habits have worsened as of recent,” he murmured, avoiding eye contact more than usual. He didn’t _want_ to tell Aiber why, but he also knew it was easier to just get it over with. The man would find out one way or another, and it was far more frustrating to deal with him being nosy for days than to just be honest about what was going on. “I’ve been having...unusual dreams much more often.” _About Light Yagami._ “Every night I’ve slept for the past month. They’ve been growing much more intense, as well.”

Aiber cocked an eyebrow. “Unusual _how_ , exactly? Like nightmares?” The serial killer case they’d been working on in Russia had been grisly, but he’d never seen that kind of thing affect L before.

L’s cheeks felt warmer than they already had from the drink. “I- ah-...” He squirmed in his seat, suddenly feeling much antsier than he typically was. “Not- not exactly _nightmares_. They aren’t unpleasant, I’m just not used to- uh-..” The detective cleared his throat, surprised by how dry his mouth suddenly felt. “...sexual dreams and thoughts.”

“Ohhhhhh.” Aiber let out a low chuckle and smirked as he sipped his drink. “ _That_ kind of dream.” This was very interesting and _new_ information about L; despite their close working and domestic situation, much of L’s life and inner thoughts remained a mystery. _Wonder if it has anything to do with that corkboard?_

He leaned back on the couch, waving a hand dismissively. “Well, that’s hardly anything to be disturbed about. Just have a good wank or two and you’ll sleep like the dead.” He shrugged, adding, “Works for me anyway.” Aiber was not in the habit of bringing random hookups over but it did happen on occasion. L had seen them leave and never commented, but Wedy usually gave him an earful over his ‘indiscretions’ since their various hideouts weren’t meant to be public knowledge. But when he couldn’t get that, it was just his hand.

Somehow, hearing the other man describe how he dealt with the _situation_ was even more humiliating to L than opening up in the first place. It shouldn’t have shocked him that Aiber would be so blunt about it, but he’d made himself vulnerable. It was often that he opened up to anyone, much less the man he regularly mocked (in a light-hearted, friendly way, of course). His hands suddenly felt clammy, and he couldn’t help but fear he might drop the glass. _And spill it all over myself, drenching my clothes and forcing me to-_ He almost choked at his own line of thought, frantically leaning forward and setting the glass down on the coaster. Yes, that was certainly enough to drink for tonight. 

“I am perfectly aware of the _solution_ to that specific problem, and I am capable of handling it myself without needing you to instruct me on it,” he snapped, feeling unusually tense. The fact that his obsession with Light Yagami was now interfering with his work and sleep was driving him insane. Unfortunately, his tone was far closer to a flustered mess than a grouchy, bitter detective. The red in his face only emphasized that. “I just- it’s not just simple physical frustration, it’s- it’s-...” Grimacing, he held his forehead in his hand. “...it’s a _need_.”

“Hey…” Aiber looked at L with slight concern. “I didn’t mean to offend you.” He knocked back the rest of his drink and carefully set the glass on the table. If it wasn’t advice L wanted then...what? Suggesting good pick-up locales or passing him the numbers of some high-class escorts wasn’t likely to cut the tension either. He ran a hand through his thick blonde hair, shooting L another apprehensive glance. “Maybe you, uh...could find somebody to relieve the tension with?”

“Are you offering?” It was a joke- or at least, that’s what L tried to tell himself. But as that question lingered in the air, the bemused smile that had curved his lips faded just as quickly as it had arrived. _Do I...want that? Would it help?_ He risked a glance at Aiber, moving only his eyes in a feeble effort at not being caught. _He_ **_is_ ** _attractive, that’s one of his greatest assets for his work. It’s part of the reason he’s so good at what he does._ He felt like he was floundering in his own thoughts, and the physical reaction he was having was not making it any easier. _He’s a criminal, too._ His mind briefly drifted to Light. _Note to self: I’m definitely into smooth-talking criminals._

“I mean…” Aiber looked L up and down, giving him a little smirk. “...why not?” It made so much sense he wasn’t sure why he hadn’t thought of it before--- _oh_. Yeah, there had definitely been a reason. “But, uh, what happens when you get sick of me?” He laughed easily to mask the tension, but it was an actual question. L had whims and moods, and both Aiber and Wedy served (and were kept out of jail) at L’s pleasure. He smoothly scooted closer and eased an arm around the couch behind L. He bent his head to speak softly into L’s ear, “Cause I kinda like this gig. Hate to lose it.”

Goosebumps covered L’s skin as he felt the man’s breath against his ear. He stiffened up, instinctively drawing his shoulders inwards to make himself smaller. His face felt like it was on fire. Despite his body language, he leaned into Aiber’s touch, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Nothing you’ve done yet has made me fire you. I highly doubt even you could mess up enough for that,” he teased quietly. It made him feel a bit more comfortable to joke around, taking some of the edge off. “I can’t see myself getting sick of either you or Wedy. Unless you’re implying you’re _that_ bad at it. ”

Aiber pulled back, feigning shock. “ _Bad_ at it? Hmm, have you ever seen anyone leave my room looking unsatisfied?” He sighed and scooted even closer, brushing some of L’s hair from the man’s neck and placing a lingering, testing kiss there. “If you’re coming for my honor, you’ll at least have to give me the chance to prove your assumptions wrong.” 

L tried his best not to squirm, becoming increasingly aware of the part of his body that was definitely interested. Biting his lip, he went silent for a moment, mentally creating a “pros” and “cons” chart. The gears in his head were visibly turning as he stewed over his predicament. 

Aiber’s hand slid under L’s crouching leg, fingering the folds in the jeans to tease him, and give him a chance to call the whole thing off. “If that’s what you want, I’m game.”

_Is that what I want?_ The hand teasing L made that decision for him. “Y-yes,” he whispered, shocked by how _breathless_ he sounded. “I think I’d like to gather more evidence before making such a conclusion.” He pushed his leg into the other man’s touch. “...and gain experience that I may be able to make use of in the future.” _For Light._

Aiber grinned against L’s neck, nipping at it playfully. _Making me sound like some goddamn science experiment_. “Alright then.” He scooped L up in his arms, kissing the man to silence any more words about ‘evidence,’ and headed right for his bedroom. 

L opened his mouth to say something, that much he was sure of, but somewhere between Aiber lifting him up off of the couch and pressing his lips against his own, all memory of what that was disappeared. 

It was a relief to the detective that their relationship barely changed after that. They continued to occasionally satisfy each other’s needs, but it didn’t have any effect on their friendship. It remained clear that this was just some quick fun for Aiber and a relief of Light-induced stress for L. There were multiple times where the conman tried to lead him off to bed, just to be knocked on the floor or shut out of the room with instructions to “cool off and get back to work.” Despite this, however, a manilla envelope containing copies of those photos ended up on Aiber’s pillow, and new photos began to show up on the corkboard.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ZJ: Bre tried to add ‘notebook vore’ as a tag and I had to talk her down from that ledge. XD  
> R: I’m not wrong though


	4. Round Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light can’t help but throw out a breadcrumb to the world (but mostly to L). L gets a new job under an old name and finds out some juicy details about Light’s private life.

“The apples here taste even better than in Japan!” Ryuk plunged his hand into Light’s grocery bag the moment his human walked into the apartment, snatching a bright red apple and guzzling it down. 

Light grinned as he set the groceries on the kitchen island and started to put them away. “That’s because Japan was an island. A lot of fresh food had to be imported.” He took a moment to look around his _own_ apartment, marveling for the hundredth time how nice it was to have peace and quiet and _privacy_ now. It was the first time he’d lived alone-- although he was never truly alone, not with Ryuk haunting his every step. But things felt different this time around. Perhaps Ryuk was just relieved to be back on Earth again, but the shinigami was a lot more congenial, even friendly. While Light hadn’t remembered a moment of their time together these past six years, it seemed like Ryuk had dwelled on little else and was making the most of it again.

The shinigami dangled upside down from the light fixture above the bar. “Can I have one more? Cmon, been catchin’ ya up on all the good gossip ‘bout the realm and all.”

“Uh huh, like that you owe somebody named ‘Gook’ 74 skulls and that you pretty much sat by and watched while another shinigami turned to dust?” Light snickered as he opened the fridge and put ingredients for his dinner inside. “Just to snatch his Death Note?”

“Yeah! Real juicy stuff, right?!” Ryuk made a frustrated noise and wiggled his claws towards the bag of apples. “Ehhhhh, please?” Just like before, he wasn’t able to take things from the human world without express permission.

“Pfft, sure.” Light tossed an apple up to Ryuk, wiping down the counter when a rain of pulp and juice descended. “Guess I have to make sure you aren’t bored.” He hadn’t forgotten what Ryuk promised in the beginning-- that _he’d_ be the one to kill Light one day.

“Oho, don’t worry ‘bout that.” Ryuk righted himself, perching on one of the barstools, chin in his hand. He didn’t want to completely give away how absolutely ecstatic he was to be back here with Light-- and that Light was right back on track again!-- but he was pretty much transparent about his glee. “So uh, we gonna watch the news? Write a little?”

“Maybe.” Light smiled smugly as he loosened his tie and walked to his hidden wall safe. He hummed thoughtfully, “Do you think L’s given up on Kira?” _I sure hope he hasn’t_. Light had had a good laugh remembering their conversation at the police station after his desk had burned up, when he’d truly believed he was guilty of nothing more than a silly teenage prank gone awry. 

“Heh, probably not if he tried to get ya’ fired before even bein’ hired!”

“Yeah, but I can’t be sure if he still suspects me or if it's just some vendetta from years ago. There’s no evidence that Kira’s back so he was probably still pissed off he got fired from the Kira case because of me.” With no small amount of satisfaction, “I’ve found out INTERPOL refuses to hire him at all now. Too unpredictable and unreliable. Ha!” Light opened the safe with his fingerprints and took out the Death Note, pulling a pen from his lapel as he sat on the couch. “Still, I need to be careful. He has a reputation for _hating_ to lose.” He’d spent a lot more time thinking and wondering about L than he wanted to admit. The detective had tried to ruin his life _twice_ , that he knew about.

“Eh, not _too_ careful, though.” Ryuk phased to the couch to sit beside Light, peering over the man’s shoulder. In the past 3 months, about 10 pages of the Death Note had been filled up. It was a paltry sum compared to the number of names that filled the first notebook in that timeframe but Ryuk wasn’t complaining. If anything, this more cautious Light had far more _style_ with his deaths than the younger version. _Quality over quantity_. It seemed Light had developed a bit of a sadistic streak in his absence and the man’s creativity and interest in testing the limits of the notebook hadn’t dimmed one bit. 

“Just careful enough.” Light grinned as he opened his laptop and ran a few names through the extensive INTERPOL criminal database. “But damn...it would be really fun to tease L wouldn’t it? Give him _one_ good old-fashioned heart attack to make him _wonder_.” He chewed on the end of his pen, smirking. L had caused him so much trouble and Light had been infuriated about the man’s attempt to meddle in his hiring at INTERPOL. _Still an asshole._

Ryuk perked up, back going straight as he grinned at Light. _Now we’re talking!_ “Yeah! One itsy-bitsy heart attack to stir the pot!” He phased closer to Light, determined to enable some chaos. “Not like he can prove anything, heh.”

Light's eyes lit up as he scrolled to one of the criminals that L had caught lately, a devious grin spreading across his face. “Nope.” He stared at the mug shot and jotted down the name without any other details. “And that’s going to drive him _nuts_.” Why did that thought cause such a spark of excitement in him?

* * *

A week after L’s ‘stress relief’ with Aiber, L was sleeping slightly better, but insomnia was a hard habit to break. He sighed heavily, lifting his hands from his desk to rub at his eyes. His current case was not a difficult one (in fact, he felt certain he could finish it within the week), but staring at a screen all day had begun to make his eyes burn. “Aiber, fetch me a cup of coffee,” he spoke up, pausing to glance at the glass bowl on his desk. Empty again. “And another box of panda cookies.”

“L, come take a look at this,” Wedy called over, leaning back into her chair as she motioned to the laptop in front of her. “Tell me what you think.”

Briefly, the detective considered not getting up and pretending he hadn’t heard her. He didn’t want more complications, things that would only add to the boredom he was already experiencing. However, he knew that if he didn’t go over now, Wedy would drag him over regardless. Gripping the desk, he pushed himself off, wheeling his computer chair over to her. “This better be important- or, at least interesting,” he mumbled, making a face.

Wedy rolled her eyes in response, scooting over to accommodate him. “What crawled up your ass and died?” She arched a brow, offering a brief smile before motioning again to the computer. “See for yourself.”

L huffed at the retort, choosing to exercise some mild maturity by not saying anything rude in response. Turning his head, he focused his attention on the screen. Idly, he lifted his thumb to his lips as he scanned the text. _...a heart attack? And why do I recognize this name..?_ He leaned forward, squinting faintly as he focused on the image of the deceased criminal’s face. _Yes, that’s it. I had him arrested last month. Life sentence, I believe. But…_ “No prior medical conditions?” _Is it really..? Was I right..?_ “...I need access to the full autopsy, forward that to me, immediately.”

Without giving Wedy time to properly respond, L rolled himself back over to his own desk, trying to ignore the sound of his own pulse pounding away in his ears. _It’s happening, it’s finally happening! ..no, no- don’t get your hopes up. Verify first, celebrate after..!_ He didn’t even notice when Aiber brought him his coffee and snacks, far too wrapped up in his thoughts. The only thing that jerked him back to reality was the notification on his screen. Frantically, he pulled up the autopsy, biting at his thumb as he read it over. _...just like what the report said. Sudden heart attack. No prior indication. It’s real. He’s back. He’s back!_ L could barely contain his excitement, but, for the sake of covering all of his bases, he quickly sent along a request for the deceased’s medical records, grabbing a few panda cookies and stuffing them in his mouth. _Sugar, that’s all I need. That’s why I feel like this. I just need more sugar._

“So, what do you think it is?” Wedy murmured over his shoulder, having left her chair and crossed the room to his side without him noticing. “I just think it’s a little strange, you know. You just arrested this guy, and then he keels over?”

L’s heart leapt into his throat. _Could Kira know that I arrested this man? Is this an outright challenge, or just a coincidence?_ He took a sip from his coffee cup, frowning deeply. _No, no, I can’t just assume it’s Kira...but if it_ **_is_** _, would he have the guts to mock me like this?_ He really, _really_ didn’t want to get his hopes up, but it already seemed too late for that. “Wedy, I need you to set up a monitoring system for all of my recent arrests, and I need access to the records of all major living criminals in Europe.” _It’s just to keep an eye out. There is no guarantee this will even amount to anything. This is just a precaution._ Unlike before, when all he had was speculation, this was real evidence. Somehow, that terrified him. It felt like he had even more to lose. He closed the page, forcing himself to focus on his coffee and cookies to calm down. He had a case to work on. 

* * *

A month passed and Light was slightly disappointed when the media didn’t seem to pick up on the suspicious heart attack, especially when there was no indication that _L_ had picked up on it. Staying so much in the shadows had gotten a little boring and, deep down, Light was a thrill-seeker who thrived when he was under some pressure. He craved a game, a rival, and right now there was absolutely no one answering his call. 

He swallowed down another little bit of the Death Note with a glum expression. He’d taken to ingesting small bits every day, hoping that it would eventually be enough. The past two times he’d tested his theory with Ryuk, giving up the Death Note and then having Ryuk give it back, he’d forgotten about it. But, he was determined to keep trying. _I know I’m onto something_. 

“Ryuk, I think it’s time to speed things up a bit.” He couldn’t help himself. He had to _know_ that L had noticed, even if he couldn’t really see the other’s true reactions. “I think five sounds like a good number for tonight, don’t you?” They wouldn’t be heart attacks but they’d be meaningful targets. If L was really out there watching, this would be the opening parry, the shot heard round the world.

“Heh heh, how bout six?” Ryuk cackled when he saw that devious glint in Light’s eyes. It would probably be seven.

* * *

“Seven more, _seven_ more dead!” L was ranting at this point, glaring at the report on his screen. “INTERPOL hasn’t even reached out yet. It’s so obvious that _something_ is going on.” Huffing, he unwrapped another strawberry sucker, popping it into his mouth. _Some INTERPOL arrests, another one of mine, and one of_ **_his_** _._ He had to admit this was an impressive show of dominance on Kira’s behalf. After months of the deaths continuing, he’d given up any illusion of this not being the same killer. “Do they think it’ll just stop on its own?”

“L, no offense, but you didn’t succeed last time,” Wedy interjected, aware that the detective was complaining without the intention of having an audience. “I mean, is it really that surprising?”

The sucker cracked between L’s teeth. “My failure to apprehend Kira the first time was out of my control,” he grumbled, averting his gaze. He knew she was right, but considering that possibility right now felt like too much to bear. Losing his chance to arrest and _control_ Kira was an agonizing thought. Who could they even replace him with? He was _L_ , the best of the best. Rejection like this was unacceptable, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. All he could do was bide his time and wait, hoping they would see reason and reach out for his assistance. 

L was dragged out of his anger and self-pity by the sound of one of his phones ringing. He knew the tone immediately, the contact line for Deneuve. He rarely made use of it, most of his clients preferring L over the name he stole. Hesitating for a moment, he lifted the phone to his ear and answered if, enabling the voice-altering software. “Hello? How might I assist you?”

“This is Gilles Compere, Administrator of Special Projects at INTERPOL. We would like to seek your assistance Mr. Deneuve. There has been a recent spike in the deaths of criminals. We would like to formally request your help to investigate this situation and assess whether it might be related to Kira or a copycat killer. Obviously, this is highly confidential.”

Initially, anger bubbled up inside of him. How _dare_ they reach out to someone else for help. He couldn’t get his head around it initially, seething in his frustration. However, the more he thought about it, the more he realized how beneficial using Deneuve’s name for this could be. Light was at INTERPOL and Light knew about L. He _didn’t_ know about Deneuve.

“Before I agree with this, I have a few conditions.” L shifted, monitoring his tone carefully to make sure he sounded different.

“Such as?”

He frowned, wondering if he was just assuming the other was speaking tensely. “First, I have control over the meeting location and the circumstances of the meeting. This is a measure for both my safety and the team’s safety, as it would be much faster for me to use my funds to move us to a separate location than to rely on INTERPOL.” He paused, listening carefully as he unwrapped a hard candy.

“While we would prefer to work with you directly in Lyon, it shouldn’t be an issue to conduct the investigation remotely. Our agents are used to working with teams spread all over the world.”

L smiled to himself. _Relatively easy so far._ “My second condition is that I am allowed immediate access to the full records of the agents that will be on my team. While I trust INTERPOL’s background checks, I would like to have a better understanding of their backgrounds and skills.”

“That won’t be a problem. We will send you the personnel files of the agents you’ll be working with.”

Relief washed over him. _Good. Infinitely easier than having Wedy hunt them down for me._ “Thank you. My third and final condition is that I have leniency in avoiding warrants and similar documents. I don’t plan on doing this, but if there is a situation where something must be done immediately, I may not have the time to request and file the proper paperwork.”

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end. “Hmm. I see your point Mr. Deneuve, but forgive my hesitation to give too much free reign in the areas of legal protocol. INTERPOL has had... _issues_ in the past with consulting detectives overstepping the boundaries of professionalism and becoming, well, infantile mavericks.”

L grit his teeth, tensing up immediately. _Infantile?_ **_Infantile_** _? I’ll show you what- ...no, no. This is important._ He took a few seconds to gather himself, clearing his throat. “Apologies, I’m taking notes as we speak. Anyway, I completely understand your doubt. It’s a disappointment that there are so many in my field that lack professionalism.” He rolled his eyes.

“Yes, quite so, quite so. Although you’ve come very highly recommended by Angela Merkel herself. Good job tracking down those blackmailers.” Gilles paused a moment as he considered what to do. “I suppose that INTERPOL can grant you leeway Mr. Deneuve, although I implore you to stay within the bounds of the Geneva Convention and international law. I fear that one more bad experience and my organization will never seek outside help again.”

“Of course. Any measures I take that are unconventional or outside of expectations would be in urgent and emergency situations. I’m just requesting this as a precaution. I’ve been sued by particularly litigious clients in the past for taking measures that saved their lives.” He shifted in his seat, popping the hard candy into his mouth. 

“INTERPOL is not litigious but we _are_ a legal enforcement body. So do tread lightly when making any sudden decisions. You may also get in contact with myself or the Kira Task Force team leader for guidance.” A twinge of nerves bled into Gille’s voice. “But, we are anxious to move things along quickly and prevent Kira--if it _is_ Kira-- from escalating. We don’t want the world to panic.”

“...alright, I accept. Please arrange for a meeting where I can be briefed.” Things would be different this time, of that L was certain. By not meeting the group in person, he kept the control he didn’t have during the first Kira investigation. Just the chance to catch Kira was enough for him. That was part of the reason he accepted this offer, the other half was far too much to think about right now. Light Yagami was Kira again, he had to be. 

“Of course, we’ll put you in touch with the man heading up the investigation. His name is Light Yagami.”

* * *

The next evening started off as mildly frustrating. First of all, L was still trapped at a resort in Cancun wrapping up a case, and the heat and humidity was nearly unbearable. Second, and even worse, INTERPOL were proving themselves to be utterly useless to him. He had already interviewed three of the four INTERPOL agents on Light’s team, each one being just as clueless as the last about what he _really_ wanted to know. The general consensus was unsurprising. They all believed Light was a once-in-a-lifetime genius. L could understand that, knowing the man’s record well. He was clearly an asset to the organization, already setting records within it. This, however, was both information he already had access to or could infer on his own. He wanted details about the man himself, not his professional accomplishments. The detective’s personal favorite was the man that didn’t even know Light’s father was the Chief of the NPA in Japan. Sighing heavily, he glanced at his contact list, dialing the number for the final agent on his laptop.

Meanwhile, in Lyon, France, Special Agent Adrien Marchand took a long sip from his wine and pressed the key to answer Deneuve’s computer call. “Bonjour?” He’d already gotten a sense from his fellow agents how this was going to go and it made some sense--- Deneuve’s real identity was a closely-held secret so of course the detective would vet anyone he was contemplating working with. “It’s an honor to speak with you Detective Deneuve.”

L rolled his eyes. _Flattery will get you nowhere, but let’s see what that says about you as a person._ Briefly, he wondered how similar this man was to that failure of a detective in Japan, Matsuda. He shifted in his seat, idly shifting through his bowl of jelly beans as he ran through the laundry list of questions he had to ask. He couldn’t just start hunting for private details about Light right off the bat. 

He slowly and steadily wormed his way in, breaking down the walls this person might have. The process was simple enough, gathering how Adrien felt about Kira, what the typical timeline of cases they worked on looked like, how they went about gathering evidence (through more ethical means than L himself), and a few general questions about how the man felt working for INTERPOL. _The perfect segue into the next portion…_

“Special Agent Marchand, if you could, summarize your experience working with Light Yagami,” he began, actually bringing up the text document for note-taking now that they were moving onto the topic he had interest in. “No need to keep it brief, but do stay on-topic.”

Adrien cleared his throat, suddenly glad that this ‘interview’ was only over computer and not in person. He and Yagami...had _history_ , but that wasn’t exactly the kind of thing he was going to bring up professionally. Or ever. Light hadn’t needed to make any threats to keep his silence.

“Ah, he’s...extremely efficient of course, adept at handing out tasks to those most suited for them. Has little-- er, _no_ , patience for fuck ups but we’ve all been hand-selected to be on his team. There’s not any discord, if that’s what you’re asking? I think I can speak for everyone when I say we’re all lucky to be under him.” He grabbed his wine glass and gulped, although it nearly slipped from his grip due to his palms being so sweaty. How many times had he thought about being _under_ Light again?

A faint smirk curved L’s lips. Now, _that_ was an interesting reaction. So far, the other agents had spoken either gleefully or nonchalantly of Light. This man was _audibly_ nervous, more so than when the call began. He grabbed a few jelly beans, popping them into his mouth. “Yes, I’ve been able to surmise as much from the other calls today.” He saw no reason to hide that fact, relatively certain the other man would have heard so already. “Do you have a relationship with Yagami outside of work?” Fighting back a chuckle, he allowed a brief pause before continuing. “It’s not uncommon to speak with fellow agents about other matters. So, do you?”

Adrien sucked in a brief breath, nearly spilling his wine as he set it aside. _Merde!_ “N-no, of course not.” The other agents hadn’t known anything about their trysts and surely Light wouldn’t have said anything. “Just a...professional relationship.” He tried to force a laugh, “None of us have much time for anything other than work.”

_Quite flustered for someone with just a “professional relationship.”_ L chewed slowly, letting the other man ramble on. _I have to be careful. Push too hard and he’ll close me off._ “I see, I was just curious as to whether or not the few times the two of you were seen together outside of work hours was related to your cases.” His smirk grew into a grin. This was a lie, but he had a hunch, and his hunches were rarely wrong.

“What?!” Adrien was really sweating now, and he mopped his face with his sleeve. “I...I suppose you must mean in Monaco.” Had they really been seen? Light had insisted on going all the way from Lyon to Monaco just to avoid that possibility. Recovering, “Ah, yes. It was for the investigation.” He was really just riding by the seat of his pants, trying to spin anything that sounded plausible. “There were some suspicious deaths in the mafia there and Light wanted to look into it personally.” 

“Hm, that’s odd.” _Got you._ “I didn’t see any cases on record with any trips to Monaco. Are you certain that was it?” L was absolutely _giddy_ at this point, squirming in his seat. This was all too good, too perfect. Normally, he only found a moderate amount of entertainment in digging information out of men like this, but these were _exactly_ the details he wanted to know about Light. 

“Of course that was it!” Adrien was trying not to sound defensive but it really wasn’t working. Calmer, “That was a last-minute trip, we must have forgotten to file the paperwork is all.” If Deneuve was digging this hard into Light’s life, was he doing the same for all of them? 

“This conversation is not being recorded,” _It definitely is._ “You may say whatever you’d like. I just want a _full picture_ of the man I’ll be working with. Personal details are much appreciated, and it will stay between the two of us.”

Adrien sniffed, “I’m not at liberty to discuss personal details since I do not know Agent Yagami in that way. I suggest you ask him yourself.”

The detective chuckled, not even bothering to hide it. “Those details conflict with the information I have quite heavily, _Adrien_. It would truly be a shame if any of the photographs, recordings, or details I have access to ended up... _hmm_...let’s say in an anonymous box addressed to your _wife?”_ He stuffed more candy into his mouth, eagerly listening for every little reaction the agent had.

Adrien’s hand shook as he brought it to cover his mouth, stifling a few soft curses. Finally he pulled it away, whispering, “You’ll ruin me! What is the point of this?! Whatever... _things_ I did with him in private don’t affect this case at all!” He felt his defiance leaking away to be replaced by fear. If _Deneuve_ knew, who else did? Light would end his career if he thought Adrien told. “ _Please_. Just stop this. Yes, we...had--” It wasn’t any kind of relationship he could easily describe. “An arrangement outside of work, but it’s over now. He ended it.”

Immediately, L softened his voice, knowing he had the man right where he wanted him. “I need to know what Light is _like_ , Adrien. How he treats people, how he acts in private. Someone romantically involved with him would have intimate knowledge of that. Just be honest with me and _no one_ has to know.” Licking his lips, he lifted his cup of sugary tea, sipping it quietly. “You said that _he_ ended it? Please, explain as much as you can.”

Adrien looked around his private office, making _damn_ sure he was alone. “Alright…” He got up to lock the door and slumped back into the chair. “First...you have to know that I _love_ my family, ok? But I also just--well, please don’t tell my wife about this.” 

He was quiet for a moment and then said, “He’s stunning. I don’t know if you’ve seen what Light _looks_ like but--hell, I’m not even gay and I wanted him. Ever since the moment he came to INTERPOL, everyone wanted to either _be_ him or fuck him. I’m...not the only one he had some fun with, even though I don’t know who the others were.” He only knew gossip, and that was often wrong. “He didn’t want anything other than a blow job, the first time. Heh, I remember speeding to his house that night, I was so excited. Thought maybe he liked me.” _Nope._ He could feel his cheeks heating as he went on, remembering details that made him blush. “He’s...very rough in bed, likes things _his_ way and boy, I didn’t mind at all. Didn’t mind when he threw me out of his house right after, didn’t mind when he only answered my calls when he wanted to get off.” He paused, not sure how much _detail_ he should really go into. Some of it was pretty raunchy, embarrassing stuff. “It didn’t last long. He got bored of me after a couple of months. Told me that to my face. And that he expected nothing to change in the office. That if it did, or if I told _anyone_ , I was done.” 

_He’s...very rough in bed._ L had to disguise the moan that rumbled inside of him with a cough. Clearing his throat, he shifted, attempting to lessen the forming pressure in his pants. “I see. A strictly physical relationship on his end that he stopped rather coldly,” he mused, tilting his head. “...for what it’s worth, I’m sorry he treated you like that. It’s very indicative of his nature that he did such a thing.”

“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea, Detective. He’s a very fair boss and excellent investigator. I just...let my feelings get involved when there weren’t any on his side. He’d made that clear from the beginning.” Adrien could hear Light’s voice, whispering _‘and you’d do it all again, loved every minute of it.’_ “There’s nothing you should apologize for. I’ve moved on, too.” No, he really hadn’t, but he didn’t want to lose this job either. “I should have known he was out of my league.”

“May I ask where you went in Monaco?” L shifted his tone back into professionalism, knowing he was already trying his luck.

“It’s the Casino de Monte Carlo.” Adrien wasn’t exactly sure where Light got the cash to party in a place like that but he didn’t ask questions. “We’d, uh, sometimes spend the weekend there but only a few times. Mostly he goes there alone.” _Probably to pick some guy up._ “He’s pretty damn good at poker.”

L nodded slowly, adding the location and reason given to his notes. _A casino? That’s hardly the type of place I’d expect_ **_him_ ** _to frequent. Light truly has changed._ “From what I’ve gathered, and please correct me or add something if I’m wrong, Light Yagami is confident, focused, charismatic, _attractive_ , a hard worker, selfish- to at least the point of being self-serving in most situations, and gay or bisexual.” He leaned back in his seat, rattling off the list from his notes. “Is this accurate?”

“Y-yes.” Adrien knew that Light would have laughed at that list of attributes, quipping something about how that didn’t even scratch the surface. “Although that doesn’t really seem to cover it.”

_I could start sowing seeds of doubt right now. It would make it even easier to bring him in._ “I really shouldn’t tell you this, but I don’t want you to get yourself hurt. I’ve been following Light Yagami’s career for a while now. You aren’t the first person he’s used and thrown aside like a boring toy.” L spoke softly, doing his best to try and endear the agent to him. He knew this wasn’t _exactly_ true, but he had no doubt that Light had created a trail of broken hearts once he left Japan. “He’s a very self-centered man. He’s brilliant, that is true, but he’s also a master manipulator. It’s almost impressive how easily he gets what he wants.”

Adrien listened closely, ears perking up that Deneuve himself had been following Light for _years_. But where was Light before INTERPOL? Just a student in university, graduating at the top of his class at both To-Oh and Oxford. Sure, his master’s thesis had created waves but the man’s career had only just begun. There wasn’t a single legal blemish on Light’s record, hell, his _father_ was one of the highest ranking police officers in Japan. “I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying. It sounds like you’ve been...stalking him.” He suddenly felt slightly protective of Light; perhaps it was just because he couldn’t accept that he _had_ been so thoroughly manipulated. _What if Light wants me back one day and finds out I blabbed?_ “All these personal questions about him…” Suddenly it made sense. “You want him for yourself, don’t you?!”

L laughed, leaning back a bit so the sound wasn’t loud enough to irritate the man’s ears. “No, no, not at all.” _I do. More than anything else in this world. I want_ **_Kira_ ** _on a leash._ “I can see you’re already settled on what you think of him. My intention was not to provoke you, I apologize. Certainly not the best way to speak to someone I’ll be working with soon,” he mused, glancing at the time. “I’ll be arriving in France on Monday.” _Speaking of, I need to finish packing. Wait, before I let him go-_ “Oh, one more thing,” he began, making space in his notes for new information. “How frequently does Light visit this casino? Do you know when he’ll be there next?”

“Uh…” Adrien winced but finally said, “He’ll be there this weekend. Promised to take the team to Monte Carlo to blow off some steam before we all meet...you.” He hadn’t been back to the casino since Light dropped him cold. _Maybe he might change his mind, being back there._

“You’ve already proven yourself to be extremely helpful, and I look forward to working with you.” Typical procedure would allow the other man to ask L any questions he might have, but he saw no point in that. Without another word, he ended the call, sighing heavily. _It seems as though I have my work cut out for me. But now I’ll have a chance to see Light at work._

He was already dreading working with these people, memories of his struggles with the task force in Tokyo making him cringe. The likelihood of this partnership succeeding was riding on these calls and their meeting on the following Wednesday. Unlike the last Kira investigation, “Deneuve” would be present only through a computer screen and modulated microphone. 

Wedy knocked on the door of the hotel bedroom before peeking inside. “Got some lunch for you. Already scraped all the spices off of it, don’t worry.” She chuckled to herself and pushed the door open wider. “Come eat in the cabana with us, it’s a beautiful day. When Aiber isn’t _snoring_ , at least.” Aiber had been sunbathing and intermittently falling asleep. It seemed the tropical climate suited his lazy nature.

L did his best to not groan or grimace, climbing out of his chair to the tune of popping joints. “The humidity says otherwise. Luckily, we’ll be leaving tonight.” He grabbed one last jelly bean before turning to face her. “I’m sure his skin cells will thank us for waking him.” Offering Wedy a faint, amused smile, he walked over to her with his hands stuffed into his pockets. “I was able to gather more intel on Light Yagami. Aiber may actually be useful in this case.”

“If you say so.” Wedy snorted in amusement but set L’s food down on the umbrella-shaded table. She poked Aiber in the ribs with a long red nail, saying playfully, “Wake up, you. Time to work on more than just your tan.”

“Mm?” Aiber yawned and lifted his sunglasses to grin up at Wedy. “What work?” He sat up and stretched, taking a sip from his melted daiquiri. “Thought we weren’t starting work until Monday.”

“Plans change. Although, I’m sure I could convince you that you slept through the weekend at this rate.” L sat down at the table, making sure he was completely in the shade. It was still incredibly hot, too much for him to bear. “We’ll be leaving tonight. I recommend that you start packing your things before then.” He lifted his fork, spearing a pear slice and biting into it. Chewing noisily (as always), he continued. “But first, tell me everything you know about the Casino de Monte Carlo. Have you been there before?”

“Ah hell, are we going _there_?” The hopeful excitement was plain on Aiber’s face. “That’s my absolute favorite casino. Real high-roller place and you can’t swing your dick without hitting a rich mark or a tight piece of ass.”

“Language!” Wedy rolled her eyes and picked up a paperback pulp novel, flipping to her place in it. 

Aiber couldn’t stop grinning. “Yeah, I know the place like the back of my hand. Cased the joint so I could...well, um, you know.” _Rob the tables blind._ “It’s not a place for amateurs but good money to be made for a guy like me. Can spot a fair bit of mafia and shady types there but not your average criminals. I guess most of the clientele’s just obscenely wealthy and bored.”

L sipped on his tea as he listened to his friend ramble on. _I don’t get to hear him this excited that often. I’ll definitely have to let him tag along._ “Interesting. I was told that Light Yagami frequents this establishment. It sounds like a fantastic place for Kira to scope out targets.” _And brilliant of him to disguise it as a secret date._

Wedy looked up from her novel, a nonplussed expression on her face. “You know, Light Yagami might not actually be Kira. It doesn’t hurt to consider other options, L.”

Aiber gave L a sly smile, “Don’t count on that.” It was something they often teased L about, this singular obsession that hadn’t lessened over the years. 

“He goes there on weekends, so I feel like it’s best to leave as soon as possible in order to not have to wait an entire week to observe him there. We will be staying at a luxury hotel in Monaco.”

“Say no more.” Aiber beamed and scrambled up off the lounge chair. “I’ll go pack right away.”

Wedy watched him go and then said to L with a wry smile, “You know he’s going to try to cheat the tables right under your nose, right? Can’t take the con out of that man completely.” She laughed quietly, “Well, just make sure he doesn’t get caught.”

  
“In the meantime,” L shifted, turning to face Wedy now that they were alone. “I need you to reserve a suite at the Hotel de Paris in Monaco for the meeting with Light’s team.” He paused, glancing back at his monitor. “...specifically, I plan to work from that location while interfacing with the team remotely. I will not be attending in person.” It was easier to control the environment when he had some distance from INTERPOL’s headquarters in Lyon. Plus, he could watch Light _play._..


	5. Sleight of Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light takes his INTERPOL team to Monaco for the weekend and runs into an interesting poker game with very high stakes.

Light adjusted his tie as he descended the steps from his house in Lyon, smiling at his coworkers who were waving from the waiting limo. He murmured to Ryuk, “Remember, other people will be around this time so _no_ funny business.” His team had been teasing him for months about his little trips, wanting to know what he got up to on the weekends. So, Light had relented and said they could join him this time. He’d still be on the lookout for interesting _faces_ and _names_ , but he’d have to be more discreet than usual. 

Ryuk snickered as he floated alongside Light, practically giddy that they were heading into Monaco again for the weekend. Things were _always_ entertaining whenever Light chose to hit up the casinos there. “Don’ worry about me. Gotta buncha apples stashed in my wings for the ride there.” He’d flap behind the limo and be content as a spectator-- until Light needed him to read the poker cards, of course.

Light got into the limo, rolling his eyes at the already hedonistic scene inside. “If you all get drunk and lose your money to me at the poker tables, I’m not giving it back.” He said it with a little grin though, knowing this was one more way to endear his team to him. Show them a good time, impress them, seem like their buddy. He wasn’t worried that they had even a _hint_ of suspicion towards him, but Light liked to cultivate trump cards of all varieties. Human ones could come in handy one day.

“Yeah, yeah, Yagami. But why not kick back a little?” One of the agents, Sophie, popped the cork on a bottle of champagne as the limo started moving, pouring the golden liquid into the waiting glasses of the passengers. “That Deneuve’s really put us through the wringer the last few days! Never had a pre-case briefing like _that_ before.”

Light hummed into his glass as he took the first sip. “Interesting. He hasn’t chosen to interview me but has called each of you.” He relaxed against the seat, crossing his legs. “So, what was it like?” He still wasn’t sure how he felt about some shadowy detective being recruited to help in the case. On the one hand, it was annoying having to deal with someone on the outside. It reminded him too much of how his father’s team had worked with _L_. On the other, he wasn’t really bothered since there was zero evidence on Kira’s identity out there, he’d checked. Except for a couple of taunting heart attacks, Light had been much, _much_ more careful to stay completely out of sight and off the radar. Kira was a cipher, a shadow. Deneuve would have no more luck than ‘L’ had in Light’s youth. This way he could learn what this new enemy learns, and adapt.

“Oh, Deneuve’s...thorough.” Another agent, Lucas, exchanged looks with Sophie and Adrien. “Seemed pretty keen to know _all_ about you, Light.”

Sophie nodded with a shrug but Adrien blushed and downed his champagne. “Really? Didn’t ask me anything about that.” 

That blush was not lost on Light.

* * *

L could only recall a handful of times in his life where he had felt nervous, and tonight was certainly one of them. Not only did the investigation hinge on observing Light at the casino, but so did the potential of putting his obsession to rest. The three of them had settled into their suite, Aiber lounging about and indulging himself at the mini-bar, the detective setting his room up for his own comfort, and Wedy immediately getting to work adding the customary security measures. 

“Ok, I’ve got eyes on our hotel and on the casino Light’s staying at.” Wedy nodded to her laptop, which showed a dozen split-screens of various areas of the casino and their resort. “And can confirm that Light Yagami arrived at the Casino de Monte Carlo about an hour ago with a group of four.” She teased, “Sorry, I don’t have in-room cameras set up over there.” If L wanted that, it would take more effort than just hacking into hotel security. 

As the evening grew closer, his anxiety spiked. He tried on several outfits, eventually settling on a white button-up shirt, slacks, and black suit jacket. He wanted to look nice, even if there was little-to-no chance of Light even seeing him, that slim chance was enough. 

Fidgeting with his tie, he walked out into the living room. “And you can assure me that this attire is fitting for the casino?” He glanced over at Aiber, completely giving up on his tie.

Aiber lifted his gaze from the magazine he was idly flipping through. “You look great, L, don’t worry about it. Here,” he closed the magazine and gently tossed it onto the coffee table. Standing up, he walked over to L. “Let me help you.” Fixing the man’s tie, he couldn’t help but smirk as he observed the way the detective squirmed. “We’re just going to hang out there, right? Observation. There’s no need to be so _tense._ ”

“It isn’t just observation,” L blurted out, shooting the conman a faint glare. “Finding out what Light is doing and keeping track of those he interacts with is crucial to the case. If he’s using the casino to scope out victims, we have to keep tabs on notable individuals.” _Technically that_ **_is_ ** _observation. Why am I so irritable? Every time I think about seeing_ **_him_ ** _again, I just-...no. Focus._

“Uh-huh.” Aiber took a step back to give the man space. “Still don’t see a reason for you to be so worked up over this. Loosen up. Even if it is for work, have a little fun. Hell, you can help me with a few games.” Mischief twinkled in his eyes. He knew it wasn’t very likely for L to help him cheat, but he was banking on the detective at least turning a blind eye.

L sighed, carding his fingers through his hair. “As long as you don’t draw attention to us, you can do whatever you want. Do _attempt_ to stick to the general plan, though. I’ll keep to the crowd.” He was pointedly _ignoring_ the remarks about his demeanor. Acknowledging it would only make it more real, make him think about everything even more. He didn’t need that. He needed to focus, to stay calm, and to be ready for anything. He couldn’t see Kira killing anyone while they were there, but ruling that slim possibility out was unwise. “Let’s just go...”

“Have fun, boys.” Wedy held up her wine glass in cheers. “I’ll be watching in case you need anything.”

* * *

After thoroughly scoping the casino out, L felt comfortable assuming he and Aiber managed to arrive first. Despite this, his nerves would not settle. Panic was starting to bubble up inside of him. _If I’m like this when he gets here, he could see me. I could ruin everything! What if-_

“Alastair, here.” Aiber spoke up from the detective’s side, addressing him with his public alias and pushing a glass into his hand. “You look like a wreck.” He paused, lowering his voice. “Investigation aside, I want you to at least have a _little_ fun.”

Nodding without much thought, L immediately downed the contents of the glass, shuddering and grimacing shortly after (much to Aiber’s amusement). “...thank you. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.” He turned to look towards the entrance. “We should get a little closer, so we can keep an eye out.”

Without waiting for the conman to follow, L slowly made his way through the crowd with relative ease. He couldn’t tell if it was the drink he’d been given or his own excitement, but he was slowly starting to calm down. He found a safe area to stand near the entrance, slightly obscured by a column. Glancing up, he was relieved to see his friend had followed him, although he hadn’t expected the man to push another glass into his grasp in exchange for the empty one. 

While he tried to appear inconspicuous, L froze up when Light entered the room along with people he recognized as agents on his team. Nothing could have prepared him for the shock of seeing the man in person. Every ounce of calm he had gained over the past few minutes completely evaporated. His face felt like it was on fire, and he could have sworn his heart was going to leap right out of his chest. 

Almost frantic, L ducked behind the column, his eyes wide as he tried to regulate his breathing. _He’s gorgeous. I knew that already, but- God, how can he just look like that?_ Steeling himself, he poked his head past the stone, watching the younger man walk with borderline hungry eyes. _Forget the investigation. I can just approach him. Offer to buy him a drink. Get him to take me home and lay me out and-_ L flinched, swearing internally. _No._ **_Focus_ ** _on the case._ Desperate to distract himself from those feelings, he drained the new glass as well.

* * *

Light blinked when yet _another_ free drink was slid his way by the bartender. “What? Who’s _this_ one from?”

“Lady over there.” The bartender pointed to a woman smoking in a corner booth bedecked in furs and diamonds.

The rest of the INTERPOL agents broke into snickers. They’d been taking bets on how many free drinks Light would get after the first three appeared in quick succession from various admirers around the casino. One of the agents, Pierre, nudged him in the side, “ _Now_ we see what you’re coming up here for.”

The bartender pulled out a card and held it out to Light. “Asked me to give you her room key in case--”

“No.” Light held up a hand and politely shook his head. “I appreciate the drink though.” He lifted the martini (boredly) in the woman’s general direction and then turned back to the bar with a sigh. This was getting embarrassing in front of his coworkers. On his own, he didn’t mind the attention and even found some interesting information by chatting people up (plus Ryuk got a laugh from it). But the agents were acting more like college students than investigators tonight, asking for tips on seduction, wanting to know if _they_ could keep the numbers and room cards and free chips sent his way.

The only one of them that seemed less than thrilled about it, other than Light, was Adrien. Soon after they’d gotten there, the man had whispered in Light’s ear, “My room’s next to yours, adjoining. Just knock if you want me.”

“I _don’t_.”

Undeterred, Adrien pressed Light’s arm. “Cmon, one more--”

Light smiled and whispered back, “I wouldn’t fuck you again if you were the last man on earth,” then segued into an amusing story about his life in Japan for the others’ benefit. They all knew about his history with L and never got tired of hearing about the ‘desk incident’ from Light’s youth.

Ryuk had been excitedly haunting the casino floor, flitting from one card table to the next to watch the range of human emotions in this place. Triumph and elation, devastation and regret, lust and flirtation--- all of the emotions he didn’t understand but found endless enjoyment in observing. 

Light spied Ryuk hovering over one table in particular and kept an eye on the shinigami as he chatted with the agents. _What’s he so interested in over there?_ After a moment it became clearer. Someone was cleaning up at that table and bankrupting anyone who dared to sit down. _Interesting_. “Think I’ll head to the poker tables.” He set down his drink and turned to one of the other agents, “Care to join a few hands, Lucas?”

“Against _you_? Hell no, Light. We’ve all heard the stories. But I’ll watch.” Lucas and the others followed Light to the card tables, and the agents huddled around behind Light as he sat down in the empty spot.

Light gave the other players at the table a curt nod, tapping the felt. “Deal me in.” He produced a pile of poker chips from his jacket pocket and let them slink from his fingers one by one onto the table. It was about 10,000 euros-- his winnings from his last visit here. Light never spent his winnings, just ‘reinvested’ them for the next time. 

Ryuk cackled and zoomed behind the dealer, peeking over the man’s shoulder as the cards were flicked to each player. He phased behind each of them in quick succession to get a sense of what the others were holding. His shinigami eyes could see right through the cards and they had their system down to an art by now. “Eh, a lotta crap so far, Lighto. Blondie here has a pair of jacks tho.”

Light looked up at the handsome blonde man seated across from him, studying the smooth, tan features and his easy smile. _He’s the one that’s been winning every hand for the past 30 minutes. Something seems off._ He said nothing, for now, and focused on his hand.

L stayed within the crowd that had gathered around Aiber. The conman provided a convenient cover, allowing him to keep an eye on Light. Normally, seeing the way people were buying the man drinks would have amused him at the most. Now, however, he felt an uncomfortable feeling in his gut, almost akin to disgust. That quickly faded, however, as he watched his suspect seated at the table. _Don’t blow this for us,_ he worried, his gaze flicking briefly to his friend. 

Aiber, on the other hand, was living it up. He was the best at what he did, and nothing was more satisfying than making a bunch of corrupt whales fork over their funds. His movements were subtle as always, to the point that even the people standing behind him had failed to notice when he swapped a jack for the queen hiding in his sleeve. The stakes were even higher now that Light had joined them, but it was also a fantastic opportunity to show off his skills and talents. He looked the young man over, carefully monitoring his expression, hunting for cracks in the facade.

“Blondie’s cheatin!” Ryuk let out an exaggerated gasp and pointed wildly down at the man. “Lighto!” He zoomed just behind Light, phasing through half of the curious lookyloos. “Saw him take one of them jacks out and replace it with a queen. He’s goin’ for a Royal Flush. Nerve of him!”

Light’s nostrils flared as he leveled a cold glare at the smiling blonde man. Of course, Light _himself_ was cheating, technically. Having a shinigami read you the cards probably wasn’t kosher with the poker regulatory league rules. Still, that was just an advantage of convenience that Light really didn’t even need. He was excellent at cards even without Ryuk’s help, but in this case, he’d known something was up. He made a small motion with his finger, brushing it lightly down the table in a signal to Ryuk that meant, _‘just watch._ ’ 

He looked towards the dealer with an aloof smile, “Sir, I’m afraid that someone at this table is cheating your establishment.” Light briefly cut his eyes to the blonde man, keeping his expression unreadable. “I suggest that you check his sleeve.”

The dealer balked, freezing to make eye contact with the blonde. He held a finger to his headset and whispered a few words before addressing the man. “Mr. Wallace, kindly remove your jacket.” Two burly security guards stepped behind the dealer, keeping a close eye on everything.

L stiffened up, wanting to scream. He’d already drained half of his fourth glass when he noticed the subtle shift in Light’s facial expression, and now it was empty. _Aiber’s going to be thrown out. He’ll be arrested. Dammit- I can’t just bail on him, but I can’t let Light go, either..!_

Aiber, however, was perfectly calm. He raised a brow at Light’s accusation, looking amused, and potentially impressed, instead of upset. _Holy shit, you manipulative bastard. That’s a flawless execution. The smile, the eyes...fake, but effortless. Impressive._ Nodding, he scooted back in his chair, sliding his arms out of the sleeves and neatly removing the suit jacket. Nothing about it would seem out of place to the uncareful eye, but the cuff of the sleeve made it possible for him to hide cards within the cloth itself. “Of course, if it makes the young man feel more comfortable with his loss,” he purred, meeting Light’s gaze without hesitation. _Fuck, he really does look good. Better than the photos._

Light smiled tightly right back. “I haven’t lost _yet_.” 

“Heh heh….” Ryuk snicked one of his long talons into the sleeve of the blonde’s jacket, ripping the fabric to let the offending cards spill out onto the floor in front of the guards. “Whoopsie!”

“Sir!” One of the security guards rushed to pick up the cards, holding them out in front of the table with a stern expression. “How exactly do you explain this?” The growing crowd around the table gasped in surprise and amusement, tittering behind their hands and watching with rapt attention.

Light leaned forward and tilted his head at the blonde, “Yes, please do explain.” The slight smirk on his face betrayed how much fun he was having.

It seemed as if Aiber’s expression didn’t even falter, but his jaw clenched ever so slightly as he watched the cards fall to the floor. _What the hell? That’s not possible, I just put this together tonight! I know I was careful!_ Leaning his weight onto one leg, his confident smirk transformed into a grin. “Would you believe me if I told you they’re souvenirs?”

L was relatively certain that tonight was the night he was going to die. Not from Kira, not from his own unhealthy habits- from the sheer amount of stress he was consumed by, followed up with fury at the man’s _idiotic_ retort. _You’re supposed to be a conman, you bastard! What are you doing?!_ His hand clenched around the glass as he weighed his options, considering just dragging the man out right now and calling it quits. 

The crowd burst into giggles and even Light had to smile more genuinely. Ryuk was clutching his sides and rolling in mid-air with laughter. The dealer, of course, was considerably less amused. “No, I would NOT--”

“Please.” Light’s voice carried even though it was soft at the moment. “I think Mr. Wallace has learned his lesson,” he eyed the blonde man with a smirk. “Now that he’s been divested of his _jacket_ , perhaps we can play a few hands fair and square?” When the dealer sputtered a retort, Light flicked a thousand-euro chip in his direction. “I think we can.”

The guards hesitated, looking at the dealer as to whether they should drag Mr. Wallace upstairs and beat the shit out of him or not. One slight shake of the dealer’s head, and they hung back.

“This is highly irregular.” The dealer grabbed all the cards off the table, glaring at Mr. Wallace as he opened a new deck. “But because Mr. Yagami is a valued patron, I’ll allow _one_ round.” It was clear that as soon as Light was done humoring this game, Mr. Wallace would probably be thrown out or worse. 

Ryuk managed to get a hold of himself long enough to actually pay _attention_ to the name above Mr. Wallace’s head. “Eh? Blondie is mighty suspicious, Light. Lying’ ‘bout his name.” He scanned the crowd out of curiosity, his shinigami eyes resting on a _very_ interesting name. “Well well well...whattaya know.” _L Lawliet._ During Ryuk’s long years of boredom before returning to Earth, he’d spent plenty of time watching the humans that had been involved in his prior fun. Didn’t take much effort to watch Light’s Dad head into work...and spy a certain spiky-haired detective. _Coming for Kira again? Woohoo, must be my lucky day!_

He let out a loud laugh and zoomed behind Light. “Well, ya want me to read Blondie’s cards?”

Light traced his finger horizontally across the felt, which meant _‘no.’_ He wanted the satisfaction of beating Mr. Wallace-- or whoever he really was-- legitimately. “Deal the cards.”

There were very few things in Aiber’s life that he was bad at. He was a skilled manipulator, he could talk any man or woman into just about anything. He was fantastic at reading people and judging them. He spoke multiple languages, and he had a pretty face to boot. However, despite all of that, he was utterly garbage at poker. He carried on at first, acting as if the fact that Light was absolutely destroying him didn’t matter to him at all. After a while, irritation began to show. The signs were subtle. He grew a little louder, _even more_ confident, and began openly mocking the other. 

L stood closer to the front of the crowd, feeling almost physical pain from how badly his friend was losing. _He’s losing his cool._ **_Dammit_** _, what if he says something..?_ It was beyond embarrassing at this point, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel pity for the man. 

“Let’s up the stakes, shall we?” Aiber challenged, a determined look in his eyes. “All of my winnings of the day. But, if I win…” He lowered his voice to a purr, leaning forward across the table. “You come back to my place for the night. Sound fair to you?” He winked.

When L heard that suggestion, his heart leapt into his throat. _Should I stand behind Light and text Aiber the cards? I can’t let him lose this- just to keep him from being thrown out, of course._

The INTERPOL agents standing behind Light devolved into juvenile laughter along with the rest of the spectators (including Ryuk). Light’s cheeks tinged faintly pink but otherwise, his expression didn’t change. “So, you’d condemn me to lose _twice_?” He finally smiled a little, eyes sparkling deviously. “I don’t think so.”

“Plus, I’m worth a hell of a lot more than what you’ve got left on the table.” Light sighed as he took stock of Mr. Wallace’s remaining ‘winnings,’ which was a sorry stack indeed. He had already taken nearly everything the man had. _Unless…_ “What kind of car do you drive, Mr. Wallace?”

The conman laughed, fire filling his gaze. All sense of shame and logic had been buried under the thrill of the game. “My car? Bold choice, _Mr. Yagami._ ” He reached into his pocket, pulling out the keys and dropping them on the table. “1964 Jaguar, E-Type. My pride and joy.” That was only partially true. He knew damn well that L could easily find him another, but, admittedly, he _had_ grown attached to the car. 

Pierre whistled, murmuring, “That’s a damn fine vehicle.” 

Meanwhile, another drink had found its way into L’s hand. _Goddammit- Aiber, we need a way to get back to the hotel, you idiot! Put aside your ego for five seconds just to_ **_think_** _!_ L found himself fidgeting with the glass in his hands, his eyes rapidly watching the scene before him.

  
  


Less than ten minutes later, Light was picking up the keys from the table with a smug grin. “It’s been a pleasure playing with you, Mr. Wallace. I’ll need you to sign over the car title in the parking lot.” He stood up and motioned for a clerk to gather his mountain of chips. “Please have this sent to my room.” It was far too much for him to carry and he had a car to take possession of. 

The drunken INTERPOL agents were practically losing their minds behind him, slapping him on the back and whooping in a way that made Light’s head hurt. He addressed the agents, “I’ll just be a moment, but don’t wait for me. I’ll be turning in right after, so I’ll see you all tomorrow.” He strode out of the casino, Ryuk flapping behind him, with one look over his shoulder to make sure Mr. Wallace was coming too.

Aiber followed close behind Light. He was visibly dejected, that was inevitable, but he still wore a gleeful grin. “That was a blast. You’ve got a sharp eye on you, Mr. Yagami,” he mused, stuffing his hands into his pockets as they stepped out into the night. He was soaking up the adrenaline, not wanting to think about the consequences or L’s wrath. “It’s straight ahead and to the right,” he pointed out, motioning to the car.

“And you’re really shit at poker,” Light snorted. Still, he admired what a graceful loser the man was, and being cool under pressure was always something that sparked Light’s interest. A little less coolly, “When you aren’t cheating.” 

The older man couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “Yeah, you’ve got me there. Poker has never been within my wheelhouse. I’m better with people.” He paused, casting a much more intense look towards Light. “My skill set definitely lies elsewhere. Silver tongue and all of that. But,” he tipped his head. “...my mouth can do other things, too.”

Light cocked an eyebrow, glancing at the man with some interest. “Oh?” That sounded decidedly like another proposition, but he was in a much better mood now that he’d won a lot of money _and_ a beautiful car. Why not celebrate it even more? Get one more thing to hang in his mental trophy room tonight? “I’m tempted to test another one of your boasts, although I’ve been disappointed by the last few. I _really_ hate being disappointed, Mr. Wallace.” He looked the man up and down as he considered, challenging him to make it worth his while.

L pursued them both from a distance, fuming quietly. He couldn’t believe Aiber had made such a poor decision without even thinking about how it would affect them both. Once they were outside, he picked up the pace, catching up to them by the time they reached the car. “ _Jon_ ,” he snapped, grabbing his friend by the sleeve and stopping him in his tracks. Bringing his tone down to a whisper, he glared at him. “What do you think you’re doing? How are we supposed to get home, now? Did you even consider thinking it through?”

The blonde grimaced, lifting a hand to push back some of his hair. “...yeah, that’s fair. I’ll sort it out,” he murmured, turning and walking briskly to close the few feet between himself and Light. “Hey, uh, do you think you could drive my roommate and me back to our place? We’re short a ride now.” Flashing another grin, he leaned towards him. “If you do, I can _guarantee_ you won’t be disappointed.”

Light held Mr. Wallace’s gaze, mulling it over, and then looked at the ‘roommate.’ _Looks like he’s half-drunk so I can take care of myself if anything weird happens. Plus Ryuk will be there._ “Alright. Would be rude of me to leave you stranded here.” He licked his lips at the blonde as he got into the driver’s seat and turned the key. The engine purred to life, bringing a triumphant smile to his lips. “So, where are we going?”

Aiber and L briefly exchanged glances, a silent, wordless conversation that seemed more like an argument hanging between them. After a moment, the conman pulled open the passenger door, lifting and pushing the seat out of the detective’s way. He could hear him grumbling under his breath as he climbed into the back seat. Deciding not to acknowledge it, he pushed the seat back into its place, eagerly plopping down on it and buckling himself in. “It’s not just poker that I’m bad at, I’m not great with directions either,” he joked, pulling out his phone. He brought up the GPS and set it down so it could read out the directions. Once everyone was settled, he rest his hand on the middle, slowly moving it closer until he was stroking Light’s leg. 

L could feel that same sensation from earlier returning with full force as he watched them interact. Unlike before, however, the feeling was fueling his arousal. Light was right _there_ , inches away from his hand. Just that thought made his chest tighten. _He_ wanted to be the one touching Light’s thigh, sliding his hand towards the inside, squeezing, _stroking_ , listening to the little sounds and gasps he might make while he tried to focus on driving rather than- He dug his nails into his palm, bringing himself back to the present. If he had any intention of respecting his friend’s privacy, and he _did,_ he needed to pull himself together. _Thank God Wedy already covered the suite in cameras and bugs._ He knew it might ruin Aiber’s chances if he was sitting in the corner of the bedroom watching them.

Light indulged Mr. Wallace’s creeping hand until it got a little _too_ close. He picked it up by the wrist and placed it back on the passenger side of the car. “So what’s your real name, hmm? I know it’s not ‘Mr. Wallace’ and I’ll see it on the title anyway.” He caught the man in the backseat staring at him in the rearview mirror and held his gaze for just a moment before looking back at the road ahead. There was something about the ‘roommate’ that was bothering him, but he couldn’t put a finger on it. 

The moment their eyes met, L stopped breathing. It was short-lived, and the logical side of him told him that it meant nothing. _I was staring at him, he must have noticed. That’s all. Don’t read anything into it._ Forcing his gaze out the window, he began idly biting at his thumb. He couldn’t deny the thrill that just making _eye contact_ with Light gave him. _Did he feel that? Or am I just imagining things..?_

Chuckling quietly, Aiber leaned back in the car seat, keeping his hands to himself after the correction. “You’re an observant little minx, aren’t you?” He flashed a grin, his expression making it clear that he was joking. “Of course, you’d have to be to notice what I was doing at the table. But, you’re right. Jon Archambeaux. It’s a _pleasure_ to meet you.” He knew he was starting to push his luck, but he was relatively certain Light had enjoyed his jokes prior to and during their game. He had no intention of hiding his nature along with his identity, having far too much fun figuring out what the man liked.

Light smiled faintly and cut his eyes to the blonde. “Likewise, Jon. Or at least, I _hope_ so.”

“Yagami, wasn’t it? Are you a local or..?” Arching a brow, Aiber tipped his head to the side, never taking his eyes off of him.

“No, I’m an ex-pat from Japan.” Light watched the GPS and took the next turn it indicated. “Living in Lyon at the moment.” That was about as much truth as Light felt like sharing about himself, other than his name. “Feel free to call me Light.” He smirked and lowered his voice, “For now.” Tonight, Light doubted there’d be much talking at all. 

Aiber nodded slowly as he listened to Light, a little surprised the man gave him his first name and permission to refer to him with it. _Europe must be loosening him up. If only it would do that to L._

The GPS beeped that they were at the address, the Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo. Light was impressed-- this was the priciest and most exclusive hotel in the city. He pulled into the underground parking garage, holding his hand out to Jon as he stopped in front of the gate. “Room key?” 

Aiber smirked, looking back at L. “Alastair, room key.” 

L nearly jumped out of his skin when the conman referred to him. He sat there for a beat, his mind trying to catch up with the situation. He fidgeted and dug through his pockets before pulling out the card. Despite his efforts, his hand shook when he handed the card over. _Why am I so anxious? I’m not the one that will be..._ **_intimate_ ** _...with him tonight._ He kept his eyes down, still chewing on his thumb.

Aiber extended his hand to take the card. He had his own, each of them did, but he wanted to find a good way to indicate that L was the one in charge. He could direct apprehension and suspicion away from himself and appear non-threatening. It wasn’t very difficult to come off as a sweet-talking free-loader. “One room key, coming right up,” he joked, passing it to Light.

_Curious_. Light watched Alastair’s discomfort, wondering if he was the one causing it or it was just a result of Jon’s stunning loss tonight. _I suppose that display would be more than enough to cause tension. But he keeps staring at me in the oddest way_. He took the key and swiped it to open the parking lot gate, pulling into the empty space that matched the gold lettering on the card. _Penthouse_. He turned off the car and poked the button to open the glove box in front of Jon. “Sign the title first, or I’m not going anywhere.” He turned his head slightly, hearing soft shinigami laughter coming from outside the car. 

“Careful and cautious, huh?” Aiber quipped, switching to Japanese with mischief in his eyes. He searched through the glove box, humming to himself until he pulled out the title. “Here she is! Do you have a pen, or do you need to borrow one?” 

“Your Japanese is excellent. Perhaps you do have a few hidden talents after all.” Light grinned as he reached into his jacket to produce an onyx-inlaid fountain pen with a gold nib. It was the very pen he wrote in the Death Note with, and there was something delicious about handing it over to Jon to sign for another kind of victory. “Of course, here.” Ryuk’s laughter outside got even louder, it was hard for Light not to join in but he kept his cool.

Taking the pen without hesitation, the conman smirked. “And that won’t be the last surprise you see tonight,” he purred, signing the title quickly before passing it and the pen to the younger man. The false name was on it in both print and signature. “I’m a man of my word, _most_ of the time.” 

L rolled his eyes, his mild irritation towards his friend’s antics calming him down a bit. It helped make things feel a little more... _normal_. Taking out his phone, he checked the time with a soft frown. _Almost midnight. How did I not notice that much time had passed?_ He squirmed, quickly shoving the device back into his pocket.

Shifting, Aiber unbuckled himself so he could turn to face Light. “Now that you’ve come all this way, want to take me up on that offer?” He winked, not-so-subtly looking the other man over.

Light stuffed the title and pen into his jacket, looking between Jon and Alastair in the rearview mirror. “Are you sure your roommate doesn’t mind?” He smiled at the man in the backseat, could feel the _heat_ behind Alastair’s stare the whole ride here. “Wouldn’t want to intrude.” _Bet he wishes it were him._

L’s head shot up when he was mentioned, a faint shade of pink tinting his cheeks. “I don’t mind,” he blurted out, clenching his fist briefly. _Smooth. Idiot._ “I- ah- I have my own room. What you two do is none of my business.” He shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant while his heart pounded in his chest.

Aiber grinned, focusing his attention on Light. “It won’t be a problem, trust me.” Taking a slight risk, he reached out, resting a hand on the man’s knee. “We’ll have all the privacy in the world in my room.”

Light shrugged and got out of the car, “Lead the way then.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder that steamy stuff is coming up in the next few chapters and the rating will increase to E at that point.


	6. Choke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light takes ‘Jon’ up on his offer in a victory lap, but L is watching.

Light pocketed the car keys as he followed Jon and Alastair to a private elevator. He still had their hotel room card in his pocket and was wondering when one of them was going to call him on it. It was a fun little mind game to him to pass the time. 

“Psstt, Lighto!” Ryuk zoomed into the elevator before the doors closed shut. “Heh heh, Blondie’s lyin’ again.” He couldn’t tell Light the man’s real name was ‘Thierry Morello’ but he could say what it _wasn’t_. “ _Jon_ ain’t his name either.” The shinigami snickered, rolling his large yellow eyes to ‘Alastair’ as well. He’d hold his forked tongue about _that_ one though, it was too much fun to see what the fallout of this meeting might be. Was it too much to hope for a reboot of the cat and mouse games from before? Kira and L Battle Royale 2.0?

Light didn’t acknowledge Ryuk but his gaze got a little colder when he looked at ‘Jon.’ It _had_ been the name on the car title, so was that a phony too? _There’ll be hell to pay if it is._

More than eager, Aiber waited until they were all in the elevator before pressing the button for their floor. The room key wasn’t necessary yet, and he was well aware of the fact that it was still in Light’s possession. Deciding to push his luck, he stood close to him, brushing shoulders for a moment. “There’s a minibar in our suite. Stocked with only the _finest_ choices.” He lowered his voice, slipping into his “seductive” mode.

L kept his distance, practically pressing himself into the back corner of the elevator as he stared at his shoes. _Light has the key. Does he intend to try and hold onto it? Or is he testing us? He couldn’t have actually forgotten, he’s far too careful._ Fidgeting with his hands, he waited a few floors before finally speaking up. “Yagami-san, my room key, please.”

Light smiled slowly at Alastair, leaning back against the side of the elevator casually. “It’s in my pocket.” His grin widened slightly, showing a small flash of brilliant white teeth. Something about Alastair made Light want to _play_ with him; sure, Jon’s smooth, easy-going nature was, well, _easy_ , but Light always got bored with easy after a few times. “Come and get it yourself.”

_“Come and get it yourself,” what is he playing at?_ L stiffened up, struggling to keep his face blank. He couldn’t hide the blush that was slowly becoming more obvious. _It’s just the alcohol. It’s just the alcohol. He’s teasing you. This is a_ **_challenge_** _. Just like before._ By framing it as a challenge, he felt a renewed sense of determination and confidence. “If you insist,” he murmured, taking a few quick steps forward until he was standing behind and off to the side of the man. He slipped his hand into Light’s pocket, finding himself briefly distracted by the _warmth_ of his leg. Not thinking, he slid his hand slowly to the side, tracing down the man’s thigh through the cloth on the way over to the card. 

Light nudged his leg against Alastair’s hand and whispered, “Forget what you were looking for?” He grabbed the man’s wrist, holding it there against his thigh. 

The red in L’s face greatly contrasted his pale skin. He stared up into Light’s eyes, his own wide with his pupils blown. The shock was obvious, but there was a hunger present there as well. “Too- too much to drink, dizzy,” he mumbled lamely as an excuse, not resisting Light’s grip at all.

Light pulled Alastair’s hand from his pocket and released it, but not before stroking his thumb over the man’s skin. “It’s a good thing I drove then.” He produced the key card between two fingers and slid it into Alastair’s pocket just as the elevator doors opened, breezing into the private foyer. 

L felt relatively certain that his heart had climbed its way up his chest and into his skull. He couldn’t think, barely noticing that his wrist had been released until he felt _Light’s hand_ in his own pocket.

Aiber’s grin only grew even broader. _Oh ho ho, L’s got it bad. He’s been getting more and more flustered all night._ Keeping his eye on the prize, he followed Light out of the elevator, not even hiding the fact that he was admiring his form. “Do you want to have a drink first? Relax a little?”

Swallowing hard, L waited for a moment to create some distance between the pair and himself. “I’m retiring to my room,” he muttered curtly, avoiding eye contact with either of them as he walked a brisk pace to his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Light watched Alastair flee with a curious smile and then nodded at Jon’s offer of a drink. “Just one. I won’t be staying long.” He made a small sign to Ryuk that meant _‘scram,’_ even though he knew the shinigami would only be out of _his_ sight. Ryuk was ever the voyeur but Light had gotten used to it by now. 

L’s hands shook as he sat at his desk and opened his laptop, frantically bringing up the living room feed in one window and Aiber’s room in another. He couldn’t get that interaction from the elevator out of his head. That _look_ in Light’s eyes had done something to him. After a few seconds of deliberation on his own decency and morals, he undid his pants.

Light walked around the suite, admiring the view and the elegant decor. “What brings you and your roommate to Monaco?” Light wasn’t much for small talk when it came to these hook-ups, but his curiosity was piqued by a man who could lose so much money so gracefully, and live out of a suite like this.

Aiber nodded, motioning for Light to follow as he walked to the open kitchenette, stopping at the minibar. “Partly business and partly him seeing the world. You can probably tell he’s not the type to get out much,” he joked, grinning. _No harm in giving him a little info about L as a person. Could throw him off the scent a bit._ “He’s a shut-in that made his money in stocks and other investments. We’ve been friends for a long time. I tagged along to try and get him to loosen up and have some fun.” He shrugged, his expression softening ever so slightly as he spoke about the detective. It was easy to lie when the lies were basically truths.

Light listened closely and while Jon’s words had the ring of truth, he felt like something important was being left out. “And what kind of business is it? Card sharks? Not with the mafia I hope.” It felt like Jon might work for the other man but nothing was very clear. “Monte Carlo does attract some of that.” 

“No, no,” Aiber laughed, shaking his head. “Mostly boring business nonsense. He reinvests his wealth in various corporations, and one of his partners operates out of France.” He smirked, looking the other man over. “Monaco was my suggestion. Not too far, and much more fun. I’m sure you’d agree.” He gestured to the bar, “Help yourself, by the way.” 

“Didn’t I stop by so you could _help_ me?” Light sat comfortably on the couch, slightly sprawling on it. “Gin and tonic, thanks.” He grinned devilishly at Jon and loosened his tie, waiting for his drink. He glanced at Alastair’s closed bedroom door, wondering just how soundproof it was. _Bet he’s listening._ Something had definitely passed between them in the elevator although Light wasn’t sure whether it was plain old fear or something else. It was unusual that he couldn’t completely peg a person; it intrigued him. 

Laughing quietly, the conman prepared both of their drinks before walking over to the couch. “Here you are.” That same sly grin stayed on his face as he gave the glass to Light. He hesitated for a moment to weigh his options before sitting down beside him, sipping from his own drink. “Alright, so what are you comfortable with?” He raised a brow, the loose tie dragging his attention to the man’s neck.

Light took a sip of his drink, staring at Jon over his glass. “I want you to suck my cock. That’s _it_.” He took another long sip, looking away as the alcohol burned pleasantly in his throat. “Don’t expect me to reciprocate.” He always made his terms crystal clear, he wasn’t going to force anyone into anything. _Well, not on the first time._ “I’m not looking for romance.” He looked at Jon with a seductive smile, adding, “I just want to get off, and then I’ll leave.”

“Glad we’re on the same page.” Aiber wet his lips, keeping the motion slow exclusively for Light’s gaze. “Though, I don’t know how sure you’ll be about leaving once I’m done,” he teased, raising his glass at him. “But in all seriousness, that works for me.” Admittedly, it was refreshing to be with a man that knew _exactly_ what he wanted. No strings attached, he wasn’t even going to do something in return. _He’s just going to use me and bail._ Instead of being insulted or hurt by that, he found himself shifting on the couch to lessen the pressure in his slacks.

L’s breathing hitched as he listened closely to the conversation. At some point between Aiber opening the bar cabinet and him approaching the couch, the detective had pulled on a headset, turning up the volume of the feed to _immerse_ himself. _So blunt...is Aiber going to do it right there..?_ He shivered, squirming for a moment as he slid his pants off. His mind was starting to wander, imagining Light _using_ him properly, gripping him by the hair and choking him with his cock. Licking his lips nervously, he leaned forward, closing the bedroom feed and focusing on the pair in the living room.

Light set his drink aside and slid closer to Jon, reaching out to run the pad of his thumb over the man’s plush lips. “Then we understand each other.” He slid a hand up Jon’s thigh to his crotch, smiling as he squeezed the hardness he found there. “Get yourself off if you want to, I don’t care.” He slipped his thumb into Jon’s mouth, stroking the man’s tongue. “As long as you don’t lose your concentration.” 

It took a great deal of self control for Aiber to not make any humiliating sounds as Light’s thumb passed between his lips. Meeting his gaze evenly, he rubbed his tongue against the digit, wrapping around it slightly in an attempt to give him a _preview_ of what was to come. He was surprised that Light had actually touched him this much, but he was definitely thankful. 

Light laughed softly and pulled his hands away, unbuttoning his shirt until the fabric parted to reveal his toned chest. “Help me with the rest.” He looked down at his pants and then back up at Jon, adding, “And then get naked.”

Scooting closer, Aiber brushed his fingertips against Light’s skin for a moment, starting to finish undoing the shirt. “How much can I touch you?” He murmured, watching Light’s face carefully. “What’s off limits here?”

L had no reason to keep quiet- a benefit of the thick walls. After almost dropping the lubricant when he saw the way Light was _touching_ the other man, he took his time slicking himself up, teasing his own hardening length. _God, he’s beautiful…_ He couldn’t take his eyes off of the exposed skin, biting down on his lower lip. _I have to have this. Maybe not tonight, but soon. I’ll need to make a plan once they’re done._

“You can touch me.” Light pulled his tie away and flung it over the back of the couch. “I don’t want your fingers inside me and I don’t kiss on the mouth. Other than that...” Light shrugged slightly. “I’ll tell you if I don’t like something.” He smirked and said, “Obviously, I’m not shy.” 

“Sounds good.” Aiber’s hands moved a bit faster, pushing the shirt out of the way and leaning in. He began slowly trailing his lips down the man’s chest, licking and nipping at his skin occasionally, but keeping the touches light. His hands moved to slide off his own suit jacket and start unbuttoning his shirt. Smirking against Light’s skin, he lowered his head further, taking the corner of the fabric and pulling, undoing the button.

_Holy_ **_fuck_** _._ L squirmed on his computer chair, struggling to find a comfortable position without sacrificing his close view of the screen. He was stroking himself properly now, his eyes glued to Light’s body. Letting his mind wander again, he imagined it was himself there on his knees instead of the conman, staring up at the younger man while licking his skin.

Light hummed in approval, admiring Jon’s oral skills already. He whispered teasingly, “I hope that’s the only thing you use your teeth for in this situation.” He pushed a hand into Jon’s hair, noticing how soft and silky the long blonde locks were. It felt nice, even exotic to his experience, and that made it _interesting_. He was half-hard in his slacks, his breathing speeding slightly to see the raw desire in the man’s eyes; that was always an enormous turn-on for Light, _other_ people’s desire when they got the chance to really be with him, touch him.

Chuckling quietly, Aiber shed his shirt and lifted his hands to undo Light’s pants. “Only would if you asked me to, but I might have a little fun with your thighs,” he purred, slipping his fingers over the waistband and tugging the man’s pants down when he lifted his hips. His brows rose when he realized Light was nude under his slacks. Whistling appreciatively, he pulled them down the rest of the way. “Seems like someone had plans for tonight,” he mused, staring directly at his erection as he pulled off Light’s shoes. “Or,” he grinned devilishly, looking up at him. “Were you just getting off on walking around like this?”

Light’s hand clenched in Jon’s hair as he grinned down at the man, lip curling up. “Both.”

L’s free hand flew to cover his mouth as he gasped shakily. _This whole time. When my hand- my hand was right there- the lining of his pocket was the only thing that-_ He moaned, squeezing himself briefly. _He held my hand there, right by his- oh fuck, oh fuck, oh_ **_fuck_** _-!_ He bit down on his hand, pausing his movement to calm back down after almost teetering over the edge just from that. 

“Mmm, why aren’t you _naked_ yet?” Light’s tone was slightly more commanding. He released Jon’s hair, pushing him away slightly, giving him an expectant look.

Aiber shivered ever so slightly at the sound of the man’s voice. He wasn’t normally submissive during his encounters, but something about Light was definitely bringing out that side of him. Biting his lip, he kicked off his shoes before undoing his pants, eagerly pushing them down along with his underwear. He was already almost completely hard, his cock leaking. Shifting, he kicked his pants off and away, leaving himself completely nude before the other. “Does this satisfy you?” He smirked, moving in close again as he lowered his head to nip at the man’s inner thigh. 

_I wish he’d order me around like that. I’d do whatever he wants, I know that much._ Whining quietly, L moved his hips against his hand, silently begging the two to get on with it. Not only was he desperate to see it, but the sooner Light left, the sooner he could come up with a plan to meet him again and get him in bed.

Light gaze roamed appreciatively over the man’s body, desire plain on his face as he stiffened further. Jon was older than he was but nicely formed, with enticing tan lines and a soft swell of muscles. “It’ll take more than that to satisfy me, but that’s already much better.” He leaned forward and grasped Jon’s hair with one hand, directing the man’s mouth to his cock. He pushed his hips up slightly and rubbed his cock against Jon’s cheek and lips, spreading wetness across the man’s face and smiling at how _obscene_ it looked, how filthy. He whispered, “You wanted your lips around my cock as soon as you saw me in the casino, didn’t you?”

This time, Aiber didn’t bother holding back a soft moan as Light pulled him by his hair. “I can neither confirm nor deny,” he purred, staring up into his eyes. Despite how calm he was acting, the faint flush in his face and chest and the soft pants from his mouth gave away just how much he was falling apart. He slid his tongue past his lips, swiping it along the side of the man’s cock.

L whimpered pathetically, the chair squeaking under him as he rocked up into his hand. He wanted Light’s hand in _his_ hair like that. Watching the man smear his pre-cum on Aiber’s face was one of the most erotic things he’d ever seen. “Fuck... _please_ ,” he whispered, tightening his grip and fisting his length. He had planned on drawing himself out slowly, but he felt certain now that he’d be getting off more than once tonight just from watching (and re-watching) this. 

Light let out a long breath at the sight of Jon’s tongue lathing over his cock. “ _Good_. Take your time.” He leaned back on the couch and spread his legs so the man could kneel between them. Light _loved_ seeing them on their knees. “I don’t like rushing.” Unfortunately, he usually did end up rushing because just about everyone bored him. It had been months since anyone had even got a moan out of him. But Jon-- this unrepentant liar, this smooth conman bilking the filthy rich-- intrigued him more than most. Kira wasn’t concerned with card sharks; hell, Light applauded it, was amused by it. Plus, it would be hypocritical since he’d been doing the same thing for months with Ryuk’s supernatural help. Perhaps this time would be a little more interesting. He smiled and released Jon’s hair, “Show me what you can do.”

Aiber’s hand shot up from where it had been resting on Light’s thigh, grabbing his wrist before he could completely pull away. Unashamed hunger filled his eyes as he led the man’s hand back to his hair. 

Light’s half-lidded eyes shot wide open when Jon _grabbed_ him. _Oh he did NOT just do that._ He immediately fisted the man’s hair tightly, wrenching Jon’s mouth off his cock, and hissed angrily, “What in the _fuck_ do you think you’re doing?” The relaxed, cool Light Yagami was gone in an instant, and someone much more dangerous had taken his place. 

L’s movements stuttered when he saw his friend grab the other. _No, please don’t blow this- not when I’m so close-!_ He bit down on his knuckle, letting one leg slide down off of the chair to get more leverage as he fucked his hand. He could feel himself getting closer to climax, moaning against his fist as his teeth drew blood. Despite how good it all felt, he never took his eyes off of the screen, desperately watching Light’s face, his reactions.

Light leaned closer to Jon, grinning in a very disconcerting way, “You don’t _grab_ me. You don’t _make_ me do anything.” He slapped Jon across the face, still holding onto the man’s hair so he couldn’t move away, and shoved his face back down in his crotch. 

The conman jerked in surprise when he was struck, but pain was not his strongest reaction. He was too far gone to control himself, moaning lowly as his head was forced down. He was rock hard now, shaking ever so slightly from the pure adrenaline.

“Do you _understand_ now?” Light kept his grip on Jon’s hair, not trusting now that the man wouldn’t do something worse like bite him. If that happened, he didn’t care what it took, ‘Jon’s’ real name would be in his Death Note tonight. 

“Yes...yes, I understand,” Aiber purred, wetting his lips as he focused his eyes on Light. “Sorry about that. I was just trying to let you know that I can _take it_.” A faint smirk twitched on his lips as he panted slightly. **_Fuck_** _, he’s even sexier when he’s pissed off. Can’t push him too far, but- damn- that was_ **_great_** _._ “May I continue?”

L jerked his hand away from himself, scrambling out of his chair as he watched his suspect strike Aiber. _My suspect- how could I forget?! I left him there, alone, with_ **_Kira_** _!_ He grabbed his pants, frantically trying to dress himself while continuing to watch the screen.

Light calmed back down quickly, a gratified smile spreading across his face at Jon’s reaction to being corrected. _Interesting. It got him off._ “Yes.” He loosened his grip slightly so Jon would have full range of motion again and the angry expression softened, but there was still a look of warning in his eyes. He leaned back and kept his eyes glued to Jon’s mouth. “Continue.” He was harder now than he had been a moment ago and it was obvious-- Light got off on it too.

L froze in place, his pulse pounding away in his ears. _...he’s not going to kill him? Everything is okay?_ He waited for a few seconds, wetting his lips nervously. Once he felt certain his friend wasn’t getting ready to become a Kira victim, he pushed his pants back down, kicking them aside and returning to his chair. Faint embarrassment creeped up his neck as he realized that ordeal had only turned him on more.

Spurred on even more now, Aiber got right back to work, slowly licking up the underside of Light’s cock again and again. He took his time, touching himself properly now. He was keenly aware of the man’s hand holding onto his hair, imagining what else he might be capable of after that altercation. After a few more swipes of his tongue, he raised his head, taking his length into his mouth. He watched Light’s face with eager eyes as he sucked on the tip.

Light throbbed under Jon’s skillful tongue, his chest rising and falling rapidly with the pleasure. The man was a liar but he hadn’t been lying about _this_ \-- he was good, and wasn’t rushing things, just like Light instructed. He made a soft noise in the back of his throat when Jon started sucking him, lips parting as he watched _closely_. He was getting a little impatient just because it felt so good, he wanted more, deeper, faster. Light whispered, “How deep can you take it? Show me.”

Aiber chuckled around him, sucking hard and pulling off of him with a soft _pop_. “I thought you didn’t like rushing?” He grinned up at the man, lingering for only a moment before taking him back into his mouth. He pushed his tongue to rest against the underside of Light’s length, focusing on relaxing his throat as he slowly pressed forward, taking him deeper. He had to shift and adjust a little, pausing at one point so that he wouldn’t choke himself. 

L quivered helplessly, stroking himself as he watched the blonde practically swallow down Light’s length. _Holy-...I didn’t even notice he could do that. Though, I guess my mind was a little distracted when we-...shit, am I-?_ He turned his head, letting out a quiet sigh of relief when he saw the blinking red dot. _Definitely holding onto this for later. Evidence, of course. No other reason,_ he assured himself.

Once comfortable again, the conman continued until his nose was pressed against Light’s pelvis. He had his head tilted slightly, both to keep from gagging and to maintain eye contact. Making sure the other was looking at him, he hummed around his cock.

Light squirmed against the couch and moaned _loudly_ , a surprised look on his face. “ _Fuck!_ ” He panted down at Jon, that warning look in his eyes replaced by pure lust. Light wasn’t small by any means so taking the _whole_ thing like that? He shuddered slightly and breathed out, “I’m _impressed._ ” It was extremely rare for Light to ever give praise in these situations, not that Jon would know it. _He can probably guess_. He lifted his hips up, just to press in even _further_ and test whether Jon really could ‘take it’ like he boasted. “ _Don’t_ stop.”

The conman _moaned_ as he felt Light push deeper, swallowing around him to lessen the strain. He couldn’t focus on his own pleasure at the moment- he was a man on a mission. Hoping, and feeling relatively confident, that the other wouldn’t mind, he rested both hands on each of Light’s knees to brace himself. Initially, he maintained a slow pace, pulling back halfway before taking him in again. Each time, he moved his head further, letting himself adjust to the feeling. _Shit, it’s been a long time since I’ve had one this big. Can’t rush this._ He paused each time he took Light to the hilt, lingering to let him _really_ feel it.

Soft whimpers escaped L’s lips, the man squirming in his seat. He could already feel himself getting close again. _I wonder if I could get Aiber to help me...practice...for Light..? Do I have a gag reflex?_ He bit his lip, fisting his cock briefly. _I’ll have to run that by him once Light’s gone. Can’t see him turning that offer down, even if I’m bad at it._

Light’s eyes were closed, head leaning back on the couch as he let the waves of pleasure wash over him. His fingers involuntarily tightened in Jon’s hair every time the man swallowed him down all the way. Occasional moans and curses would fall from his lips but he wasn’t self-conscious, too wrapped up in enjoying the feeling of being down Jon’s throat. The man seemed an expert at anticipating what Light wanted, speeding up or slowing down depending on how Light’s cock jerked in his mouth. Light tilted his head down to watch again, panting, “Keeping me on edge?” He licked his lips approvingly, his other hand going to the back of Jon’s neck and stroking the skin there. It was slightly surprising the man wasn’t jacking himself off, but as long as Jon kept this up, Light didn’t give a shit what else he did. 

Aiber moaned quietly each time his hair was pulled, trying to encourage the other further. He could feel the way Light was twitching and throbbing against his tongue. He kept this up for a few seconds more, shivering faintly as he felt the other man stroking his neck. Slowly, he pulled back, stopping to lick his cockhead briefly before taking his mouth off of him. “Y’know,” he purred, staying close enough that his breath could tease the other. “When I said I could take it, I meant it.” Licking his lips, he smirked up at Light. He had a hunch there was something a lot more violent and dangerous lurking under that neat facade, and he wanted to see just how much of it he could coax out without getting burnt. He lowered a hand to start stroking himself again, waiting for the man’s response with a sly grin.

L actually whined when he saw Aiber stop, pouting slightly. “...teasing, really?” He grumbled, shifting in his chair to lean onto the armrest, pushing his thumb past his lips and stroking his tongue as he slowed down his movements. Even though he was close, almost agonizingly so, he didn’t want to miss anything, especially not what Light might do.

Light’s lip curled into a sneer as he leaned up and gripped Jon’s head tightly with both hands, making him look up into Light’s flashing eyes. Bringing their faces close, he whispered, “Can you _really?”_ His voice remained soft and calm but there was violence thrumming under the surface, his amber eyes glittering with something akin to _malice_. He licked up the side of Jon’s face to his ear, biting it before whispering “Let’s find out.” 

For a moment, the conman was worried he had misread the other, but then he grabbed him. He had to bite back a grunt as he felt Light’s tongue on his skin, his breath hitching from the bite. 

Light wedged his thumb into Jon’s mouth to pry it open _wide_ and yanked the man’s mouth down onto his cock again, forcing himself inside and _deep_. He held Jon’s head there, panting and grinning as he started to thrust against the man’s tongue and into his throat. Usually, he would have waited until at least the second time before being this brutal but Jon had practically begged for it. _And if he didn’t mean it, he’ll get a lesson on lying_. 

Aiber didn’t resist at all when his mouth was forced open, flattening his tongue in preparation. Without being in control, he didn’t have much influence on the angle, gagging on the second thrust. Still, he didn’t struggle, taking his hands off of Light in favor of touching himself. The feeling of Light’s cock roughly rubbing along his tongue, the yanking of his hair as he was _used_ \- it was all too much in the best way possible. His moans mixed with the lewd, wet sounds his mouth was making around him. With much difficulty, he tried to keep his eyes open and focused on Light’s face.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck-!_ Just the sight of Light fucking Aiber’s throat sent L over the edge, his eyes rolling back as he nearly fell out of his chair. Gasping for air, he leaned back in the seat, taking a moment to try and stop his head from spinning. He wanted that to be him. He _needed_ that to be him. _I have to find him tomorrow...get Aiber to help me tonight and tomorrow morning...I_ **_need_ ** _Light Yagami._

Aiber’s throat ached under Light’s abuse, but he loved every second of it. It had been a long time since he’d been able to just take it _rough_ like this. He was often left with the dominant role, and being able to not only give that up, but also be completely overtaken, was amazing. 

Light was moaning with every hitching breath, his whole body trembling and muscles twitching as he felt the familiar tension coil in his gut. It was turning him on _so_ much to see how Jon just _took_ it, enjoyed it, those eyes even challenging him for _more_. He hunched in on himself as he brought Jon’s head down the last few times, holding it against him as he groaned and shot down the man’s throat again and again. 

Aiber could feel it coming, feel the way Light was throbbing against his tongue. Still, nothing could have prepared him for the sight of the younger man completely losing composure and just giving into his pleasure. His moans increased in volume. He eagerly swallowed down the man’s load, closing his eyes as his throat worked to take it all. _Damn, so much...haven’t lost my touch._

Light rasped in Jon’s ear, “How do you like the taste of _losing_?,” waiting until he was completely spent before releasing his grip and collapsing back on the couch, still shaking slightly as he tried to catch his breath. He’d come harder than he had in _months_ , and Light’s head was spinning pleasantly, limbs still tingling with the afterglow of his orgasm and that power. 

L lifted his head just in time to see his suspect finish. His chest tightened. _...he really is beautiful. Especially when he’s just so..._ ** _wild_ ** _like this._ Biting his lip, he glanced around, his face heating up when he saw that not only his hand was soiled. Grabbing some tissues from the nearby tissue box, he wiped off the table, panting quietly.

When Light finally let go of him, Aiber was left coughing and shaking, a big grin on his face. “Holy _shit_ ,” he rasped, his voice weak. Those words rang through his head. _How do you like the taste of losing?_ Looking down at his hands, he laughed softly. _Fuck- I_ **_came_ ** _from that...this guy..!_ “Did I live up to your expectations..?”

Light looked up at Jon from his slumped position, giving the man a drunken smirk. “Exceeded them.” He took a few breaths as his eyes traveled down Jon’s body, noticing what else had happened. _He came, too._ He sighed and looked down at his messy cock, “Come clean me up.” He’d get dressed in a moment and leave in his new prize, but he wanted to savor the last few moments of this. “With your tongue.”

“Haven’t had enough of me?” Aiber purred, wiping his hand off on his thigh for the time being before getting back up on his knees. He placed his hands on the couch, leaning down without hesitation and licking the man’s cock clean. He didn’t rush it, knowing Light would probably leave immediately after. Making sure he got every last _drop_ , he placed a teasing kiss against the tip of his length and pulled away. “That was great, really.” 

Light smiled and nodded. “Best I’ve had in a long time.”

Aiber sat back on his heels, staring up at the man. “...hope it isn’t too presumptuous of me to offer, but do you want my number? In case you need your expectations _exceeded_ again,” he joked, smirking.

Light grabbed his pants and stood up, mulling over that offer as he got dressed again. _That was really fantastic oral. Why not?_ “I suppose. I’m only in town one more day.” He picked up his tie and slung it around his neck, not bothering to knot it. “But I come down to Monaco most weekends.” He grinned at Jon and carded a hand through the man’s hair, tugging at it. “To play with various toys. Perhaps you’d be a good one.”

The blonde shuddered slightly as his hair was pulled. The way Light was touching him so casually, _teasingly_ , made him hope to god the man would call him again. _Not that often I find someone that actually knows what the fuck he’s doing. Definitely worth a second, maybe even a third time._ Standing up, he nodded, not bothering to dress himself as he picked up his suit jacket and dug through the pockets. “No pressure, but I’d say one more visit is the least you could do, since you’re taking my car.” He laughed, pulling out what initially looked like a playing card box. He tugged a business card out of it, holding it out to Light. Only a phone number and a cursive “J.A.” were on the card. “It’s been a blast, really. Haven’t had a night this fun in a while. Don’t let it go to your head, though.”

Light cocked a brow and took the card, turning around without another word and striding out the door. It had ‘gone to his head’ long, _long_ ago and there was nothing to be done about that. The idea made him laugh as he took the elevator back down to the parking garage, and he was still smiling when Ryuk finally made an appearance. “Enjoy the show?” He slipped the card into his pocket, wondering whether he needed to schedule an STD test for a man who apparently had his own cards to give to hookups.

“Heh…” Ryuk was all grins, rubbing his hands together excitedly as he took in Light’s disheveled state. “Maybe. How’d ya know I’d be watching?”

“Because you _always_ watch.” Light’s expression clearly showed he didn’t mind in the least. He finished buttoning up his shirt, just enough to be presentable for when he got back to the casino. His team was probably going to give him hell and try to get the details out of him but Light just wanted a hot shower and some sleep. “Although who knows _why_. Didn’t you say that your kind were forbidden from having sex?” He stuck his bottom lip out in a fake pout of sympathy.

“Hmph. No need ta rub it in!” Ryuk floated behind Light as the elevator doors opened, phasing into the passenger seat of the Jaguar. He was so tall, his head stuck out through the cloth convertible top. “Uh, can we put this down?”

Light laughed quietly and put down the convertible top before climbing in and starting the car. He pulled out into the streets of Monte Carlo feeling as good as he ever had, thinking that the only thing that would make it better would be to do a little _writing_. 

Ryuk held onto the windshield, letting his wings open and be blown by the wind. “He was watching too, y’know.” 

Light gave Ryuk a curious look as he speeded up. “Jon? Or whatever the hell his name really is…”

“Naw, the other one. Wachin’ ya like a _spy_.” Ryuk winked at Light, chuckling softly. _And doing more than watching._ From the looks of that corkboard he’d spied in L’s room, full of racy pictures of Light taken since his human had been in _college_ , L had been watching for quite some time. Ryuk had been surprised to see that he was actually in one of the pictures (of a press interview Light had given soon after joining INTERPOL) and had snagged it as a memento. The picture was pretty wrinkled and decrepit anyway, so he was sure L wouldn’t miss it. 

“Are you talking about Alastair?” Light wasn’t sure why that gave the entire encounter an extra layer of thrill, but it did. 

“Yep. I’d keep an eye on _that_ one if I were you.” No way was he going to tell Light that ‘ _that one’_ was the very same detective that had been hunting Kira six years ago. Some cards just have to play out on their own.


	7. All In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L is pushed into action, driven by his obsession with Light and what he’s witnessed. Mustering up the courage, he finally meets Light alone at the casino bar.

L lost all sense of self control the moment he saw Light get on the elevator. Shaking, he climbed off of his chair, taking a moment to regain his balance as his legs wobbled from the awkward position. He rushed out of the room, throwing the door open and whipping his head around. Seeing Aiber, he ran over, grabbing the man by the hair and pulling him into their second kiss. Both of them had been for selfish reasons. The initial one was, of course, his friend’s attempt at silencing him. This one, however, was for L’s own indulgence. He pushed his tongue into Aiber’s mouth, searching, _tasting_. He knew what Aiber tasted like, having a good enough memory, and the taste of alcohol was there, too. However, there was something else there, a stickiness lingering on the man’s tongue. He moaned, pressing his body against the other, forgetting his own filthy state. _That’s it. That’s him._ **_Light_** _._ All logic had failed him in his desperation to _know_ what the younger man tasted like. 

Aiber staggered back in surprise, catching L in his arms as the man hungrily _devoured_ him. He grunted softly into L’s mouth, that hair-pull feeling familiar and arousing after Light had been yanking on it just a moment ago. His eyes were still open as he watched L moan and grind against him, naked from the waist down and saturated with the scent of cum as much as _he_ was. It felt good though, so he leaned into it, kissing L back as he hadn’t been able to kiss Light. His cheek still stung as a pleasant reminder as to why he hadn’t crossed _that_ line. 

He finally pulled back after a moment, eyes wide as he tried to catch his breath. “L?” He looked the man up and down with a sly smile. “You were watching us, _weren’t_ you?” 

L actually _whined_ when the other man pulled away, having to settle for the memory of the taste on his own tongue. “Yes, I was,” he whispered breathlessly.

Aiber was pretty proud of how he’d performed so that was gratifying to hear. “So, what’d ya think?”

The look in L’s eyes was almost feral as he stared into Aiber’s. He wet his lips, “It was... _pleasant_.”

“Just pleasant?” Aiber smiled knowingly, leaning in to smell L. _Yup, he got off to it._ “The evidence is all over you, detective.” He lifted up L’s shirt to show the wet spots still clinging to it.

Humiliation washed over L as his friend called him out, showing him his own mess. He lowered his gaze, squirming. He was suddenly _keenly_ aware of how close they were, what he’d just _done_. Wanting to lessen the tension a bit, he spoke up, shifting the topic. “What did he say to you towards the end? When he whispered? The cameras couldn’t pick it up.”

“Oh that….” Aiber let out a long breath, feeling his heart speed up as he recalled it. “He said, ‘how do you like the taste of _losing_?”

That tidbit of information did the exact opposite of lessening the tension. L shivered, an involuntary moan rumbling in his throat. He could almost _hear_ Light growling that into his ear. “...I see,” he whispered, his eyes dilated. “That’s very...suspicious.”

“Tasted pretty good to me.” Aiber gave L a smirk, “But you already know for yourself.” It wouldn’t have mattered what Light said, L would have found it ‘suspicious.’ “Dunno if being a kinky bastard is suspicious, though. If so, better lock me up, too.”

“No, he- that’s such a _Kira_ thing to say,” L muttered, shaking his head. 

“Maybe.” Aiber grinned indulgently. He wasn’t going to pop L’s fantasy. “He’s sexy, isn’t he?”

“Y-yes, he is.” L knew that question was rhetorical, but he felt certain that, if he hadn’t answered it, a more embarrassing sound would have come from his mouth. He felt like an ant under Aiber’s gaze, very aware of just _how much_ he was out of his element here. “But,” he paused, his mind starting to finally catch up with him, bringing his hesitation with it. “...I need you to teach me how to...do _that_. What you did for him.” His cheeks warmed and he finally broke eye contact, looking away. “I have to know.” _For him. I can’t live up to what he had tonight if I don’t even know how to do it right._

“Hmm….” Aiber gave L a considering look. Light Yagami wasn’t for amateurs even if _wasn’t_ Kira. And the strong possibility Light might be Kira made it very dangerous for L to get involved like this. “I can teach you of course, but are you _sure?_ I mean...you think he’s probably _Kira_.” Aiber added, “Doesn’t that turn you off since you're...uh, trying to arrest him?”

  
  
  


When Aiber started to accept his request, L’s eyes shot up to meet the other’s. _He’s probably Kira. Doesn’t that turn you off?_ The way L’s pupils dilated and his cock twitched answered that question better than any words could. “...no. It does not. And this...lesson could be useful in the future in other situations.”

Aiber’s eyes widened as it struck him-- L didn’t want Light despite being Kira but _because_ of it. “And I thought I was the only one who liked living so dangerously.” He glanced towards his bedroom, anxious to get out of the living room in case Wedy had heard all the ruckus and decided to come investigate. “How about now? I’m still pretty keyed up.” He laughed softly, running a hand through his hair. His face and chest was still flushed, his voice still rough from how Light had _used_ him. _Fuck._ The memory was branded into his mind. “And if you’ve got a good-sized dildo, bring that, too. He’s, uh, bigger than I am.” He blinked as the question popped into his mind of how Light _fucked_ if just giving the man a blowjob was like _that_. 

L blushed and nodded quickly, taking a step back. “Okay, I- ah- I’ll meet you there,” he mumbled, looking down as he scurried off back to his room. He had never allowed Aiber to see him masturbate. Admitting to the fact that he even _had_ toys was more than he’d done already. He had slowly created a small collection of various toys over time following their first encounter, trying them out alone as he attempted to figure himself out. Kneeling down, he pulled the plastic tub out from under his bed. Everything was organized neatly inside, separated for ease and hygiene. He bit his lip, huffing out his nose as he debated on what to take. Eventually making up his mind (and using his memory of how big Light had been in relation to Aiber’s hand), he grabbed a translucent dildo and shoved the tub back into its hiding place. He knew he didn’t _need_ to hide it, but having that secret was a slight source of excitement for him. Taking a deep breath, he hurried out of his room and to Aiber’s.

* * *

The following morning, L sat perched at the foot of his bed, staring at his corkboard of pictures of Light. _How am I supposed to pull this off..? I could just show up at his door...I know where he’s staying…_ Frowning, he shook his head. _No, no, that’s idiotic...also I’d rather not risk being compared negatively to the experience he just had with Aiber._ Sighing heavily, he flopped back onto the bed, rolling over onto his side. _It needs to seem natural...I can’t let him suspect I’m after him for anything more than a one-night-stand…_ He lifted his hand, chewing on his thumbnail as his eyes scanned his room for inspiration. His gaze landed on the brochure for the casino that he’d left on his dresser. _...the casino...the_ **_bar_ ** _\- of course!_

L scrambled out of bed, rushing over to his desk and pulling up the footage. _What drink did Aiber make for him? If I can pull this off tonight, I’ll have Kira in more ways than one…_ Smirking to himself, he wandered over to the corkboard, gazing affectionately at each photo...until his eyes zeroed in on the empty space towards the bottom.

L was already anxious enough about his plans for the evening, and one of his photos going _missing_ was not relieving his stress at all. He spent almost an entire hour turning his room upside down, certain he _must_ have just misplaced it somewhere while “indulging” himself. This particular photograph was one of his absolute _favorites_ , of the very moment Light showed his true self at that press conference.

After realizing the picture was nowhere to be found in his own room, he went straight to the most likely culprit. “Alright, Aiber, where is it?” L snapped, standing in the man’s bedroom doorway. 

“Huh?” Aiber looked up blearily from his pillow, squinting at L. His voice was hoarse and rough, “Where’s what? Go bother Wedy if you want some cake for breakfast.” He snorted and turned over to go back to sleep.

Gritting his teeth, L stormed over to Aiber’s bedside, grabbing hold of the pillow and jerking it out from under the man. “Where’s the photo, Aiber?” He narrowed his eyes, repeating his name for emphasis.

“Merde!” Aiber coughed as he tried to grab the pillow back but he was still half-asleep and too slow. “I don’t know what photo you’re talking about, _L._ Why don’t you see if you misplaced it in your room, _L._ ” He grabbed the other pillow on his bed and turned over again, holding the pillow over his head and muttering in French. 

“I already checked my room! Do you truly believe I would have just barged in here without looking through my own things first?!” L huffed, chucking the pillow aside and shaking Aiber instead. “The photo from the press conference! Did you or did you not take it from the board?”

“F-” Aiber sat up and swatted L away. “No, I _didn’t_ take your picture. Don’t you think I’d just make a copy or _ask_ you for one if I wanted it?” He sighed and rolled his eyes, laughing at both of them. “C’mon, you know I have no shame.”

_Wait-...did he really_ **_not_ ** _take it..? Or is he still messing with me?_ L frowned, folding his arms across his chest. “Well, if it’s not in my room, and you didn’t _steal_ it, where the hell is it? We know Wedy wouldn’t even touch it!”

Aiber grinned and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, no _way_ she’d touch it. Hmmm, I dunno, L. Maybe it crumbled into dust from all the, uh, _use_.” He devolved into giggles, finally deciding to get up and make a cup of coffee.

Rolling his eyes, L let out a heavy sigh. _...could I have thrown it away..? Surely not, I would_ **_remember_ ** _doing that. Maybe I should just check my dresser again…_ “I-...I’m being serious, here. I genuinely have no idea where it’s gone. I wouldn’t just misplace something like that.” His cheeks warmed slightly from admitting just how much that picture meant to him.

Aiber shrugged on a robe, quieting his laughter when it seemed like L was actually in distress. Seriously, “I promise I didn’t take it. I don’t go in your room without your permission. I’d never touch your things, L. You know I wouldn’t.” He tied the sash on his robe and combed his hair with his fingers a few times. “Maybe just...make another one? You still have the footage of the interview, don’t you?”

“I _know_ I can reproduce it, that isn’t the _point_ , Aiber. I lost the photo. _I can’t find it_ ,” L stressed, that rare but familiar strained look forming in his gaze. While his tantrums were predictable, moments of genuine anxiety and panic were much more subtle in the beginning. Losing the picture combined with the fears and nerves he had towards trying to meet Light tonight was almost too much to bear.

“Is this really about the picture or are you feeling anxious about meeting him tonight?” Aiber smiled kindly, squeezing L’s shoulder in a way he hoped was reassuring. “Don’t worry about it, you already had chemistry in the elevator. Hell, even _I_ felt that.”

Hope. That felt nice. L managed a small smile, tentatively meeting his friend’s gaze. “Do you mean that, or are you just trying to get me out of your hair?” He joked, relaxing slightly. So much changed in the past few years. Before, the idea that another human’s touch would put him at ease would have been inconceivable, but, now, it helped ground him in reality. “...but, yes, I suppose I am a little worried about that. How can I even be sure he’ll be at the casino tonight?”

“You can’t.” Aiber ruffled L’s hair. “But that’s what makes it exciting, right? Lemme make you some coffee and you’ll feel better.” He walked into the living room, calling over his shoulder, “I’m just glad you aren’t pissed off at me for sucking his co-- oh, morning, Wedy.”

Wedy gave Aiber a stony glare. “Exactly who’s cock did you suck that L would be mad about it?”

L choked in surprise, turning his head to look back at Wedy. Just the _memory_ of what he’d seen last night made his cheeks turn pink. “I- he- ah-” He glanced hopelessly at Aiber, everything about his face screaming “we’re busted.”

“Nobody, darling.” Aiber gave Wedy a winning smile and kissed her on the cheek as he breezed into the kitchen. “Just some guy L thought was cute.”

“Uh huh.” Wedy frowned as she looked between L and Aiber, wiping the kiss off her cheek. “Well, do us all a favor and let L _have_ him. If I hear one more thing about Light-fucking-Yagami I’m going to scream.”

L squirmed, glancing from Wedy, to Aiber, and back to Wedy. “...don’t worry, we’ll behave.”

* * *

That evening, Light was checking his phone at the casino’s bar, feeling bored beside a small line of untouched drinks in front of him. He’d managed to slip away from the rest of his team tonight, they had booked a booze cruise and he’d plead off due to a nonexistent headache. He’d already spent the entire day gambling with them, enduring their teasing about the new car and whatever ‘ _happened last night_.’ He needed the night to himself.

Ryuk was perched on the empty barstool beside him, chin in his hand as he looked out into the gambling hall. “Gonna play some cards tonight?”

Light flicked his eyes above his phone briefly, making a circle with his finger on the bar that meant, _‘I don’t know._ ’ 

“Hyuk, hyuk. Gonna get laid tonight?” Ryuk cackled when Light made the sign for _‘yes’_ and _‘later.’_ “Haven’t picked the lucky dude, huh.”

Light bit his lip to hide his smirk, picking up one of the free drinks and taking a sip. He had no clue who this one was from, but he didn’t like it at all. “Take this away, ugh.” He handed it to the bartender and surveyed the rest with a frown. “Take all these away.” He sighed and murmured to Ryuk, but ostensibly to himself, “If they can’t even send top-shelf liquor, why would I even bother.”

L was anxious. He wore the same suit jacket and slacks (obviously with a different shirt), fiddling with the end of his tie as he walked into the casino. The sounds and lights weren’t as overwhelming as they had been the first time, but that could also be chalked up to the fact that he had a priority now. His eyes scanned notable areas, mentally marking them off until his gaze landed on the bar. The first thing he noticed was the bartender dumping out multiple drinks. When he saw Light, his heart practically skipped a beat. Practice and planning aside, nothing could prepare him for seeing the man in person again. Approaching the opposite end of the bar, he ordered a gin and tonic with a brand of gin that Aiber had recommended and sent it down to Light. Now was the moment of truth. 

“One more for ya.” The bartender set the gin and tonic in front of Light. “Guess this one knew what you liked?”

Light looked up in surprise as his favorite drink was set in front of him. Dubiously, “What’s in it?”

“Nolet’s Reserve.” 

Light’s eyes widened in surprise and he reached out to take a sip, humming at the luxurious taste. _Delicious_. He looked around the casino as he took another sip, wondering who had such excellent taste, but it wasn’t readily apparent who sent it. 

L squirmed uncomfortably on the barstool, his eyes glued rather intensely to Light as he watched him speak to the bartender. Biting his lip, he held his breath when the man took a sip, relief washing over him immediately after. _He liked it…but now what? Fuck, I probably should have asked Aiber about this, too. What’s the social protocol here? Do I say something? Do I wait? Am I supposed to even get anything out of this?_ Despite his worried thoughts, he continued to stare at the man. 

Ryuk scanned the bar and zeroed in on a familiar name. _L again!_ “Oh man…” Things were about to become amusing. He covered his mouth with his huge hand, snickering softly.

Light turned back to the bartender, “Alright, I’ll bite. Who sent it?” _Ryuk, why are you laughing again?_ Of course, he couldn’t ask right now in public. _Shinigami are so irritating._

“That guy.” The bartender pointed to a dark-haired man on the other side of the long bar. He chuckled and said, “Kinda feel like half my business is dealing with your admirers anytime you come in here.”

Light’s gaze followed the bartender’s finger, immediately spotting Jon’s roommate, Alastair, unabashedly _staring_ at him. He murmured to the bartender, “Hope they at least tip well,” before smiling at Alastair and lifting his drink. He mouthed, _‘thanks’_ and took another sip, licking his lips at the man.

L jolted when their eyes met, heat filling his cheeks. He found himself thankful that, at the moment, he was a good distance from Light, because watching the man lick his lips elicited a low groan in his throat. Shivering, he dropped his gaze. _Do I approach now? Do I wait? I can’t just keep sitting here, what if he thinks I’m not interested?_ Swearing under his breath, he forced himself to stand, walking over to Light. He sat down on the stool beside him, fidgeting for a moment as he pulled his knees up to his chest. “I’m glad you like the drink. I hear you’re hard to impress,” he murmured, staring at him again, this time out of the corner of his eyes, worried that looking at him head-on might weird him out. 

Ryuk vacated the barstool when L sat on top of him, still chuckling as he phased behind Light. “Heart rate goin’ crazy on him, heh.”

”It’s my favorite. But somehow I think you already knew that.” Light looked the man up and down, tilting his head in curiosity as to why Alastair was sitting like that. He didn’t remark on it, merely wondered if Jon had said something...compromising to his roommate and he was about to get called out for it. He remained aloof for that possibility. “Alastair, isn’t it?.” He took a long sip, slightly wary. He hadn’t forgotten what Ryuk had told him-- that Alastair had _watched_. 

As he felt Light’s eyes on him, L found himself feeling insecure about the way he sat for the first time. He clenched and unclenched his fists, fighting the urge to chew on his fingers. _Keep calm. Don’t blow it._ “Yes. To be quite honest and blunt, if I may,” he paused, dropping his gaze to the floor. “...I can’t get you out of my head, Yagami-san,” he murmured, easily switching to flawless Japanese. 

Light hummed and set his drink down, giving Alastair a little smile. _Both of them know Japanese?_ Switching to his native language, “Oh? Whatever did I do to carve out a place in your mind?” He had a damn good idea what it was, but it was surprising to him. Most men were easily put off when Light showed his true colors unless they were hopelessly in love with him. 

_Well, I can’t exactly say “became my suspect and then ruined the entire case by destroying evidence,” can I?_ L rapped his fingers on the bar, hesitating before meeting the man’s eyes again. “That...moment. In the elevator.” He kept his voice soft, both out of a desire to avoid eavesdroppers and to try and indicate “submissiveness” to the other. “And, also, I- ah-...I could hear the two of you.” His other hand moved to fidget with his tie again. “This is...atypical, for me. I’ve found myself quite distracted since our meeting- and nothing distracts me from my work.” _Honesty, but also a little ego boost_.

_So, he admits he heard it_. Light’s gaze became more intense as he leaned closer. “If you heard us, then you know that I am also... _atypical_ .” He paused to gauge Alastair’s reaction, to guess at how much the man had really seen. _Seen, not just heard_. 

L wet his lips, his tongue moving slowly- but without the intention of doing so. “Yes, I am aware of what took place. That is contributing to you being on my mind,” he muttered, the red in his cheeks growing more intense.

Alastair’s tone and sneaked glances were enticing to Light, and he very much liked the idea that he’d wormed into the man’s thoughts. “I’d probably be a much worse distraction if you truly got to know me.”

“According to Jon, a distraction is a good thing. I need to ‘loosen up for once’ and ‘live my life while I have it’ and all of that.” L’s mouth felt dry all of the sudden. Turning his head for only a moment, he motioned for the bartender and ordered a glass of water. Returning his attention to Light, he sighed. “I-...I believe in trying almost anything at least once. For scientific curiosity.”

Light gave Alastair an incredulous look. _Scientific curiosity?!_ Was he being insulted? He let out a long breath and said softly, “You seem to have gotten the wrong idea about me.” He downed his drink and set it on the bar. “I’m not exactly interested in being someone’s experiment.” Jon must have said something to make Light sound easy and he didn’t like that feeling one bit. Cooly, “I’m sure you can find plenty of other people here to indulge you though.”

The detective blinked in confusion. _Wait- did I say something rude..? Aiber likes it when I speak like that…_ He shook his head, frowning. “No, that isn’t what I meant. I apologize, I-” He squirmed, looking at the empty glass. “...socialization is not my strong suit. I just…” Beyond flustered, he ran his fingers through his hair, letting out a shaky sigh. “I was trying to say that I do not mind, and I am in fact interested in, you and your... _methods_.” L felt incredibly inadequate, certain he must look like an absolute fool. Grabbing his glass of water, he quickly brought it to his lips. However, in his nervous state, he ended up clinking the glass against his teeth, catching his upper lip in the process. Wincing, he paused before taking a sip and setting the glass back down. 

Light watched the strange man with quiet curiosity, unsure if anyone could actually be _this_ awkward while also having the balls to so bluntly state what they wanted from him. “Most of the people at this casino are interested in me and wouldn’t _mind_ my methods.” He tapped for the bartender to come back, handing the man his empty glass. “One more. And something _alcoholic_ for him?” He took Alastair’s water cup and handed that to the bartender, too. When they were alone again, he turned back to Alastair. “You don’t drink water at a bar and expect someone to believe you’re up for anything.” 

L opened his mouth to object, slightly irritated that Light was ordering _for_ him. He thought better of it, however, knowing that starting an argument would definitely ruin his chances. “Alcohol lowers my ability to receive and interpret information, and it slows my reaction time.” _And I also have an embarrassingly low tolerance, but I’m not telling him that. I can’t give him any information he could use against me just so I can have sex with him._

“It does tend to have that effect.” Light smiled for the first time since Alastair had sat down, his body language relaxing slightly. _Yes, he really is that awkward._ “So,” his eyes raked over Alastair’s body but he still wasn’t sure what _he_ wanted to do. Someone so obviously inexperienced could be a bust and a waste of his time. “How was Jon’s throat this morning?” He smirked and took his new drink, nodding at the fruity, sugary thing set down in front of Alastair to encourage him to drink it.

L brought his thumb to his mouth, stroking his lower lip slightly as he looked Light over. “His throat was only a little sore, and his voice wasn’t as hoarse this morning as it was after you left,” he murmured, glancing at the drink. He hesitated for a beat before reaching over and taking the drink, tasting it with furrowed brows. _This is likely a very bad decision, but I’ve been making a lot of those recently._ He took a few quick sips, his feet fidgeting as he watched the other man.

“Only a little?” Light made a disappointed face that morphed into a slightly more evil expression. “I’ll have to try harder next time.” He laughed quietly to himself, stirring a finger in his gin and tonic and bringing it to his lips to lick it. “Although you sound like you’re volunteering for the position?” He leaned closer to examine L’s mouth closely, obviously. “Are you as good as he is?”

_Next time? ...that’s right, he gave Light his number, didn’t he?_ L swallowed hard when the other man suddenly leaned in close, fighting the urge to recoil back. His heart was pounding again. Not really thinking about the implications, he licked his lips, his hand clenching and unclenching around the glass. “I don’t have the experience he has, but..” Taking a breath to calm himself, he met the man’s gaze. “I know that I do not have a gag reflex.” He kept an eye on Light’s reactions, trying to judge whether or not he was _really_ interested in him, or if he was being mocked by the younger male.

Light’s pupils pinned and he gave Alastair an interested smile. Softly, “Then you’ve already got him beat. Gagged at the second thrust.” 

“Based on what I heard, I don’t believe you had a problem with his gagging,” L mused, his lips twitching faintly as he attempted to be a little more casual.

“No, you strike me as more of a _voyeur_.” Light already knew it was true but watched Alastair’s face closely, a little smirk on his lips. Softer, “Did it get you off? Watching us?” Ryuk hadn’t told him that but Light guessed as much. “Wished it was you instead of him?”

L almost choked on his drink, his eyes going wide. _He knows. How does he know? How could he know?_ Dazed and panicked, he looked the man over, swallowing hard. “...yes,” he whispered, knowing there was no point in lying. His body was betraying him now. “I touched myself the whole time.” He kept his voice low, his cheeks burning.

Light couldn’t help but grin. Those words stroked his ego, plus he found the man’s honesty quite _hot_. “And what made you come?”

_He’s not disgusted..? He looks excited...do I actually have a chance here..?_ L squirmed, feeling himself getting hard in his slacks. “...when-...when you fucked his throat,” he mumbled, his blush growing more intense as he switched to Japanese once more, far too embarrassed to risk someone nearby hearing that. 

Light soaked up the man’s embarrassed arousal like a sponge, images springing to mind of what Alastair’s mouth would look like wrapped around his cock. How would someone so awkward be in bed, how would their face look when they came? _I need to find out._ He leaned back and sipped his drink, deciding he wanted this. It would definitely be a very different kind of encounter than he was used to, but he was intrigued... “I’m bored of this scene.” He looked around the casino and down at two new drinks that had been sent his way. “Why don’t you come upstairs to my room?”

The detective perked up, having fully expected the other to eventually reject him. _Upstairs? Already?_ He took a few more quick sips of his drink before setting it aside and nodding. “Alright, let’s go.” He climbed down off of the stool, stretching his legs and arms to ease out the stiffness. 

Light dug into his pocket and threw out some tip money for the bartender, then slid out of the chair. He wasn’t going to get his hopes up but it might be an amusing distraction even if Alastair ended up fleeing from his room. It had happened before. He looked over his shoulder and then got into the waiting elevator, punching the button for the 22nd floor when Alastair joined him. He waited until the doors closed to ask, “So is your real name Alastair or are you as much as a liar as ‘Jon.’” The soft shinigami laughter hadn’t escaped his notice, starting up again as soon as he’d invited the man upstairs. _Dammit Ryuk, if you have something to say just spit it out!_

L blinked in surprise, watching the man in his peripheral vision instead of turning to face him in the elevator. “...Alastair is not my birth name, but it is what I use and prefer,” he replied slowly and carefully, not wanting to tip Light off, but also feeling that acting as if it was a slightly uncomfortable question might stop the man from prying any further. Being in an enclosed space like this _again_ with the man was exciting, to say the least. He knew he _should_ be wary, but his mind just kept going back to the feeling of Light’s hand around his wrist and the warmth of his thigh. His breath hitched and he swore internally, suddenly very aware of his own arousal.

“Mmm, I see.” _Which means you’re a liar._ Light was no fool-- two men ‘traveling the world,’ both speaking multiple languages, both with alias upon alias? They were either criminals or spies or...something like that. Light sidled closer, leaning to whisper in Alastair’s ear, “How about I just call you my _slut_ then?” He licked the man’s neck, yanking at Alastair’s shirt until he could push a hand inside and smooth it up the man’s chest. 

Chills covered every inch of L’s body as he felt Light’s breath against his skin and heard those _filthy_ words in his ear. _“Slut-” he just called me- oh_ **_fuck_** _..!_ His breaths were coming faster, and his head was spinning.

Light pressed him against the wall of the elevator, not caring if there was a security camera aimed right at them. “At least we both know that one’s true.” He leaned in harder, letting Alastair feel that Light was already half-hard. “Or I’ll make it true.”

L couldn’t help it, moaning softly and pressing his hips against the other in return. His eyes were hungry and determined as he whispered, “I think-...I think I would like to see you try.”


	8. Tells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L finally gets what he’s been dreaming about for years, although Light remains clueless about who L is. Ryuk hears Light say something odd and very surprising.

It was a struggle for L to catch up with everything that was happening- it was all moving so quickly. _He’s hard, he_ **_does_ ** _want me._ **_Light Yagami wants me_** _.._. _If he’s doing this, it means we have time. Right here. In an_ **_elevator_ ** _for God’s sake..!_

Light started grinding his hips into Alastair’s, unbuttoning the man’s shirt from the bottom up. “Ground rules.” He pressed his hips in, rubbing against the other man’s erection with a smug smile. “I don’t kiss on the mouth.” He parted Alastair’s shirt, smoothing his hands across the man’s pale chest. “And you saw last night what happens if you try to grab me, force me.” His hands moved around Alastair’s back, scratching lightly as he leaned to nip at the man’s neck. “So don’t fucking try it.” Rocking his hips rhythmically, he ran the edge of his teeth down Alastair’s neck, adding, “Unless you _like_ getting slapped.” Plenty of people did, even after Light’s warnings. He didn’t mind humoring them.

Normally, L could last a decent amount of time. His stamina wasn’t amazing, but everything about this situation was overwhelming. _Light_ was touching him, rubbing up against him, _biting_ him, _scratching_ him. His lips remained parted as he breathed heavily, his eyes growing unfocused. “I-...I don’t want to be dominant,” he whispered, grunting as he shifted ever so slightly and found a new, delicious angle to grind against the other man. “I’ll do whatever you wa- ah- ah, _fucking hell_ -!” The breathier and more _wrecked_ his voice became, the more obvious his typically subtle English accent was. He bit down on his lower lip, leaning his head back against the wall. His hands desperately grabbed at the handrail on the elevator wall. _At this rate, I won’t even make it to his room-!_

Light grinned against Alastair’s neck when he felt the man throb against him, and he made it a personal challenge to try and get the man to shoot before they even got out of the elevator. _Floor 16_. He rocked his hips faster, firmer at the angle that Alastair had shifted into, and fisted the man’s hair. “That’s right, whatever _I_ want.” He yanked Alastair’s hair and hissed, “And right now I want you to come for me, because you’re my _slut_ , aren’t you? _Show_ me.” He licked down Alastair’s neck and kept his grip, moving his other hand down the back of the man’s pants, slipping his middle finger into his crack.

L gasped shakily, finding that he _definitely_ enjoyed the feeling of Light pulling his hair and controlling him. “Y-yes- oh _fuck_ , Light, I’m-” He moaned loudly, far too lost in everything to even think to try and hold back or muffle himself. His hip movements became almost frantic as he felt that sensation building and building. And then he felt Light’s _hand_ against his bare skin, touching him exactly where he wanted something much bigger than the man’s finger to be. Jolting, he cried out, his speech descending into nonsense whining as he came hard in his slacks. The few coherent words he managed to string together were just repeats of “yes, please, please,” “Light, you’re so-,” and “use me, please just use me.” 

Light lifted his head to stare into Alastair’s eyes as he came, a triumphant but fascinated look on his face. _Use me? I hit the jackpot tonight._ He whispered, “Yes, I plan to do just that.” He let the man hump against him until finished, his lips parted as he soaked up every reaction, every word. Finally, the elevator dinged that they were at their floor and Light let out a long breath as he removed his hand-- giving Alastair’s ass a squeeze as he did-- and adjusted his tie. “Looks like we’re here.” He looked down at his own tented pants then back up at Alastair hungrily. There was an obvious wet spot on Alastair’s slacks and the whole elevator reeked of sex. 

For the first time in a very, _very_ long time, there were absolutely no thoughts whatsoever going through L’s head. He felt as if he was stuck there, slumping slightly back against the wall when Light pulled away. He couldn’t move, and he wasn’t sure if he was even breathing. All he felt was pure bliss and relief. In reality, he was still breathing very heavily, basically panting as he gripped the metal railing behind him to stay standing. His lips were wet, his lower lip slightly reddened and swollen from biting down on it multiple times. The man’s usually messy black hair was an absolute wreck, sticking out in almost every direction and still slightly clumped together where Light’s hand had been. A soft shade of red covered his cheeks and nose, dusting his chest as well. His eyes, however, were the most drastic difference. Unfocused, distant, and slightly wet with tears. 

Light smiled and held open the elevator door, “It’s the first door on the left,” and produced his room key between his fingers.

Shuddering, L blinked, trying to direct his gaze to Light’s face. “..what..? Oh-...right,” he mumbled, pushing himself off of the wall and stumbling forward.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to be no good for the rest of the night.” Light swiped his key, swinging the door wide open when it unlocked. “I’d be very disappointed in you.” He smirked and pulled his tie loose as he walked inside, toeing out of his shoes and breathing deeply to be out from under the eyes of everyone at the casino, his team, from cameras. It was just him and Alastair now, if the man could pull himself together to be of any fun. “Do you need some water?” He gestured to the minibar where a bottle of Evian and some glasses were laid out. The suite was nothing compared to the one that Jon and Alastair were staying in but it was still extremely nice and spacious, with a beautiful view of Monte Carlo from the windows and balcony. 

L followed right behind Light, pulling the door shut once he was inside. He was already starting to come to his senses, fighting through the fog in his brain. “Mhm, I’ll be okay,” he murmured, holding his head for a moment. “...yeah, water.” His legs wobbled faintly under him as he walked over to the minibar, grabbing a glass and filling it halfway in the sink. Lifting it to his mouth, he quickly drained it, sighing and wiping his mouth after. His tongue felt heavy, but the water definitely helped calm him a little. Setting the glass down in the sink, he turned to face Light. “What next?” His eyes were already much sharper, making him look almost feral with his messy hair and flushed face.

Light walked closer to Alastair as he unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it off. “Next...well, I’ll be watching the news, that’s what’s next.” It was almost 11 pm and that’s when the _real_ news came on that Light was interested in. _Names and faces of the really bad ones._ They didn’t show the nasty stuff when the kids might still be awake. 

_Watching the news?_ In an instant, L was snapped back to the present, his eyes focusing completely on Light. _...I’ll have to listen out, then. Compare the criminals that show up to upcoming victims. That won’t narrow it down, anyone can watch the news. But_ **_I’ll_ ** _know he was watching when those names came up._

Light thumbed over Alastair’s swollen bottom lip, tilting his head as he tugged it down slightly to see the man’s tongue. “But I think you can suck me while I watch. It won’t be long.” He pulled his hand away and went into the living room, rummaging in a drawer for a bottle of lube. Over his shoulder, he said, “Take off all your clothes and then come over here.” 

It felt like Light was actively _trying_ to distract him, touching his mouth and using that silky tone of voice that made L want to lay down and beg for him. Nodding slowly, he trailed after the other man while undoing the rest of his shirt. He shrugged it off along with his suit jacket, letting them fall to the floor behind him. When he moved to undo his pants, his hands began to shake. Yes, he was insecure, and yes, he was nervous- but he was also _very_ excited, and the adrenaline coursing through him was making it difficult to grab a hold of his zipper. Biting his lip, he struggled for a moment more before finally dropping his pants. The slacks weren’t very snug on his body, likely one size too large. The detective stepped out of his pants and used the heel of one shoe to push the other down, kicking the shoes a few feet away.

Light sat down on the couch and turned on the TV, flipping to the coverage of the mafiosa and murderers in the news tonight. “Lay on your stomach and suck me.”

_He wants me to lay on my stomach. Is that for my comfort? Or does he_ **_want_ ** _me to be able to see the TV?_ L sat down on the couch and stretched out, rolling over. Immediately, one of the reasons the man may have asked him to lay on his stomach became quite apparent, the fabric rubbing against him. Reaching for Light’s pants, he froze, looking up at him as if unsure as to whether or not the man wanted him to undress him.

Light pulled his eyes away from the news and down to Alastair, gaze traveling across the man’s naked body. He teased, “Planning to suck me through my pants?” He unbuckled his belt and pulled it away, popping the button and pulling down the zipper. Reaching into his pants, he pulled his cock out and stroked it a few times in front of Alastair’s face, then slapped him with it across his cheek. 

L shivered faintly, his eyes eagerly watching as Light undressed and pulled himself out. He licked his lips subconsciously, a faint gasp slipping past them when the man’s length touched his skin. Already, this was a lot. Light Yagami was half-naked in front of him, he was _hard_ for him, and he was physically _right there_ in front of him. 

Softly, “Just go slow for now. I’ll tell you if I want you to do something else.” Light rubbed the tip against Alastair’s lips, letting out a sigh at how filthy that looked.

L didn’t think things could get any more intense, and then the other pushed his cockhead against his lips. The blush on his face darkened and his eyes widened involuntarily. The fact that he was barely _centimeters_ from tasting the other man was almost making him dizzy. Parting his lips further, he let the tip slip between them. He licked him slowly over and over, his tongue only slightly visible outside of his mouth.

Light hummed with pleasure, sinking back into the plush couch cushions. He took Alastair’s hand and placed it on his cock, removing his own to go for the lube lying beside him. “ _Yes..._ that feels good, keep that up.” He didn’t want to come too fast, was more of a mind to enjoy himself as long as he could. Popping the top of the lube, he squirted some onto his right hand and stroked over Alastair's ass, teasing closer to his hole and then circling it. He watched for a moment before something drew his attention on the news, a _name_ \-- a new one, and he made a mental note while stiffening further, thinking of writing it later, of Kira’s justice. He pushed just the tip of his finger inside of Alastair, listening as to whether the man really _would_ let him get away with whatever he wanted.

L heard the name, too, but it was practically background noise as he focused on teasing the man’s slit with his tongue. Light’s taste hit him hard, reminding him of the moment he had pounced on Aiber just to have a chance at finding out. Shuddering, he moaned breathily against the other. His eyelids were slightly heavy as he relaxed, losing himself to the moment- until he felt Light start to press his finger inside. He looked up at his face again, his own erection throbbing from the way the other man was staring down at him. His body didn’t resist the intrusion. To try and encourage Light to go further without stopping to talk, he closed his lips around him, sucking on the tip while applying more pressure with his tongue. 

Light’s eyelids fluttered and he gasped when Alastair started sucking, feeling himself pulsing pre-cum into the man’s mouth. He’d been aching since the elevator and hadn’t gotten the release the other man had. He whispered, “Do you like how I taste?” Alastair might not have as much experience but he was a _natural_ at using his tongue, and so far, at following Light’s directions. He slid his slick finger in further, twisting and pressing down, searching for the man’s prostate. It wasn’t hard to find, already swollen and fleshy. Light kept rubbing and massaging, a slight smile on his lips as his breathing sped and his cock twitched in Alastair’s mouth. He panted, “I’m not sure if I want to come down your throat or inside you...or _both_.” He pressed Alastair’s head down his length with his free hand, curious to test whether that boast about the lack of a gag reflex was true.

The thrill L felt from seeing the effect he was having on Light was indescribable. He moaned around him, instinctively rocking his hips back against the man’s hand. Just the thought of the other releasing in his mouth made him ache. Part of him wanted to pull off and say something, tell him how good it felt, tell him how amazing he was. Instead, he felt pressure on his head, pushing him forward and sliding Light’s cock into his mouth properly. He quivered helplessly, a look of pure bliss in his eyes as he hummed against him. The strain was definitely there, he remembered that from the practice session. He swallowed and tipped his head to accommodate him, taking the other man to the hilt. The pressure in his throat made him swallow a few times more, slowly adjusting to the sensation. The reaction the rest of his body was having said everything his mouth couldn’t. He tightened slightly around Light’s finger, relaxing again shortly after. 

Light’s moan was soft and desperate, his fingers twitching in Alastair’s hair as he rolled his hips up to rub against the man’s tongue a few times. He plunged his finger inside up to the last knuckle, adding another one and scissoring insistently. Alastair felt _tight_ , making Light’s mouth water with desire. He couldn’t focus on the news anymore-- he’d check it later, tomorrow when his head was clear and not clouded with lust. He grit his teeth and rasped out, _“Both,”_ and gripped Alastair’s hair tighter. “Make me come, _slut_ ,” he squirmed against the couch, whining softly, “then lick me until I’m hard again.”

L could already tell that he was getting close again, starting to come undone as he desperately tried to fuck himself on Light’s hand. Having his hair pulled again was driving him wild, soft grunts coming from his mouth along with the wet sounds of him sucking and moving his head. The man’s grip made it difficult to move very far, but being pressed down felt so damn good. He had no way of telling Light that he was almost there, to stop if he didn’t want him to finish yet. But, even if he had, there wasn’t enough time. _“Slut.”_ L cried out around the man’s cock, squeezing and throbbing around his fingers as he spilled out onto the cushion under his hips, the continued movement smearing it on his own skin. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he was vaguely aware of Light twitching against his tongue. He began swallowing again and again, pressing down to take him deep.

Light made a strangled noise in the back of his throat as he shot _deep_ into Alastair’s throat, the man’s swallowing around him prolonging his orgasm until he screwed his eyes shut and moaned, _“Fuck…..”_ He pulsed a couple more times before he lifted Alastair’s head off his cock, immediately going limp on the couch as he panted for breath. He couldn’t speak at first but finally whispered, “Oh _shit_ ...that was good.” He let his eyes close, lazily fucking his fingers into Alastair as he waited for his heart rate to normalize. He _thought_ the other man had come again too and the idea made him smile, his mind supplying the idea, _‘wonder how many times I can make him come?’_ Light did love a challenge and Alastair hadn’t backed down yet. But then, he’d been rather tame so far...that wouldn’t be the case when they got to the bedroom.

L whimpered softly as he felt Light continuing to work him over, feeling extremely sensitive as he recovered. As his head was lifted, he sucked the whole way, as if trying to get every last drop. Licking his lips, he stared up at Light in a daze, panting. “F-feels so- _ohh_ \- so good…!” He moaned, lowering his head to start running his tongue along the other’s length, just as he’d been asked to. Tears were welling up in his eyes from the intense sensations. He knew it was very likely that Light could drag another orgasm out of him if he kept this up. “Want...more,” he whined, swirling his tongue around the tip.

Light looked down to watch Alastair’s tongue running over his cock, getting excited again just listening to the obscene noises and words coming from the man’s lips. “You’re really insatiable, aren’t you?” He wasn’t mocking, he was _pleased_ and it was apparent in the tone of his voice. He moved Alastair’s head back, enough so he could slip his pants down completely, and directed the man’s mouth to his sack. Light suddenly wanted the man’s mouth all over him, _everywhere_ , wanted to get more of this worshipful feeling. He knew he’d have to fuck the man tonight, maybe more than once if the chemistry between them held. It was rare he felt _this_ aroused with someone, enough to give a shit if they came or not, but watching Alastair in the throes of pleasure was pleasurable for him. Light wanted to see more of _that_. 

L could feel his heart pounding away in his chest. _He wants more. He wants_ **_me_** _._ Pride swelled inside of him, his eyelids growing heavy again. “Only for you,” he whispered without thinking, briefly pushing his head into Light’s hand. _I want him to control me more...oh god, how can I make myself vulnerable like this..?_ Immediately, he shoved those thoughts aside, focusing on the beautiful man in front of him. He lowered his head, sliding his tongue under Light’s sack, pressing his open mouth against him and sucking noisily. Any sense of shame he may have had before was completely gone. He continued moving against the man’s hand, feeling himself getting hard again. 

Light let his head fall back with a soft curse, feeling himself stiffen the more Alastair licked and sucked. Seeing someone shamelessly debase themselves like this, _enjoy_ it, struck something deep inside him. He moved his fingers faster, practically banging against Alastair’s prostate as he turned his head to watch. “This isn’t over…” Light swallowed and panted out, “...I’m going to fuck you until you can’t walk, until you can’t even shoot anymore.” His grip tightened in Alastair’s hair as he spread his legs and forced the man’s head lower. “Lick my ass, come on.” He scooted down on the couch and pulled one leg up, pressing the man’s face between his cheeks and mercilessly finger-fucking into him. 

L’s moans were muffled slightly by Light’s sack until he pushed him down. His hips began to move faster, trying to rock in time with the man’s fingers, but barely keeping up. “Please... _please_ do...I _need_ it,” he whined, before starting to lick and suck at the skin above the man’s entrance, pressing hard to stimulate him. He only lingered there for a moment before moving lower, teasing him with the tip of his tongue. Knowing that it was Light, _Kira_ , holding him there, ordering him to do this, made it all the more erotic. Closing his eyes to focus on the feeling, he began dipping the tip of his tongue in and out. Quivering, he arched his spine, sobbing in pleasure as that made those fingers dig in in the most delicious way. “Gonna...gonna-..!” He choked out, managing to keep his tongue on him.

Light groaned, _“Do it!,_ ” adding a third finger so Alastair really felt the stretch. He was fully hard again, tempted to take himself in hand and stroke himself to completion. But no, he was getting equal pleasure from forcing the man’s head down, finger-fucking him open and watching his eager hips bouncing to meet his hand. Words from the TV drifted through his lust-hazed consciousness, names barely registering. One more moment and he would be dragging Alastair to the bedroom.

L moaned against him, pressing his tongue in slowly as he felt himself getting closer and closer. He rocked his hips wildly back against the man’s hand. His mouth was hanging open as he began thrusting his tongue slowly, the wet sounds mixing with his pants and whines. It was only seconds later when he finally came, his entire body shuddering as he desperately grabbed at Light’s legs. He was _squeezing_ the man’s fingers now. Going limp, he found himself with his face pressed right into the other. The cushion below him was a mess now, as was his cock. “So good,” he breathed, closing his eyes with his tongue still buried in Light.

Light’s breathing was quick and shallow as he pulled his slick fingers away, wiping them on the already ruined couch. He pulled Alastair’s head up by the hair and moved from underneath him, standing up on slightly shaky legs. Taking a moment to appreciate how absolutely _wrecked_ the man looked, still limply sprawled out on the couch, Light picked him up in his arms. “Jon told me you were rich as Midas.” He hefted Alastair in his arms and headed for the bedroom. “So I’m sure you won’t mind replacing the couch.” He laughed quietly and dumped Alastair on the king-sized bed then pounced on the man, pulling his hips up in the air and pressing his face to the mattress. 

L feebly tried to hold onto the other man as he was carried, feeling as if the room itself was spinning. He wasn’t aware of the fact that they were actually moving until he found himself falling onto the bed, his face pressing into the mattress. “C-can pay for it,” he whispered, turning his head to the side so he could try to watch the other. 

Light leaned in and panted, “Stay _still_ ,” before moving to grab some condoms from the nightstand.

L did his best to not move, hoping Light wouldn’t count the way his body was shivering. Despite just finishing, he was already getting hard again. _He’s going to fuck me...he didn’t even do that with_ **_Aiber_** _, but he’s actually going to do it with me..?!_ A grin curved his lips. “Is there anything specific you want me to do? Or do you just want me to let you fuck me like a doll?” He licked his lips and chuckled nervously, finding that he didn’t have much of a filter at all in this state. 

Light ripped open the condom wrapper with his teeth, eyes glinting in the dim moonlight streaming in the window. “Got a problem with that?” He didn’t wait for an answer before moving around behind Alastair and pushing the man’s legs apart further, spitting on his ass and rubbing it down his already lubed hole. 

“No, I don’t-!” The detective interrupted himself with a soft gasp as he felt the man spit on him, a low moan rumbling in his throat. _Found something else I’m into_.

Alastair was open and completely ready for him but Light took a moment to tease after putting on the condom, running his length down the man’s crack. _Actually...I’d like to hear him beg._ He smiled to himself and pushed in just the tip, already wider than all three of his fingers, and pulled back out again almost immediately. Light did it again, slightly deeper, and scratched his nails down Alastair’s back, sliding up to his neck and back down again. “Tell me how badly you want it.” He tapped his cock at Alastair’s entrance but didn’t push in.

L whined eagerly at the feeling of the other pressing his cock into him. He could already feel the stretch, and Light’s nails on his skin made him throb, his breaths speeding up with excitement. That excitement quickly evaporated, however, when he realized the other man was teasing him. Whimpering, he pressed his hips up a little higher, as if trying to tempt Light even more. “P-please...please, Light, please fuck me,” he whispered, his eyelids fluttering. Hearing those words leave his own mouth made him shiver. 

A tremor went through Light to hear that _beg_ and he had no interest in denying himself any longer. He gripped Alastair’s hip tightly and pressed himself in with a low moan because the man was _tight_ , his body putting up no resistance. It would have been better without the condom but Light _always_ wore one for anal. He leaned back and snapped his hips forward again, knowing Alastair’s prostate had to be exquisitely sensitive by now. His nails dug into the man’s pale hips as he started to move in earnest, pulling Alastair back to meet each of his thrusts. “It’s been...it’s been months since I fucked…” He gasped as he felt Alastair squeeze around him, leaning over to grab the man’s hair and press his head down.

L was completely falling apart under Light, gasping and moaning and _sobbing_ in pleasure, his body jolting at each thrust. He’d never experienced something so intense before. He wasn’t even sure if it hurt, barely able to register the fact that he was breathing as the other man pounded away at his prostate. 

Light nearly lost his rhythm and his composure when Ryuk phased right through the wall to perch on the open canopy frame above them. _“FUCK!”_ His hips stuttered as he looked up, shocked and _irate_ that the shinigami would have the balls to break their tacit agreement not to show himself when Light was...busy. His lip curled into a snarl as Ryuk merely grinned down at him, yellow eyes glowing brightly and focused right on him. _I can’t say anything!!_ Instead, he turned back to Alastair and took out his frustration there, fucking the man even faster and deeper.

L reached forward, clawing and grasping at the sheets, as if searching for something to hold onto. “Light, Light- oh my _god_ \- _Light_ -!” His voice was loud and strained, almost screaming. He felt like he was losing his mind, slowly losing awareness of anything but the man’s hand shoving his head into the mattress and his cock inside of him. 

Light wouldn’t let himself stop, wouldn’t let himself think. He could feel Ryuk’s eyes boring into him but Alastair’s body felt so good it was easy to dissociate. He bit his lip and whined as he felt his orgasm slam into him, spreading down his spine and making his whole body jerk. “Y-es...oh _fuck_ yes…. _Hu' qaStaHvIS wanI'vetlh_.” 

Ryuk gripped the canopy bar, his mouth hanging open slightly. _Did Light just say something in MY language?!_ That was...impossible, as far as Ryuk knew, but then he’d heard what he’d heard. Light crying out how good he felt in perfectly accented shinigami words. He’d come to watch the show for the hilarious irony of exactly who Light was fucking, but had gotten an even bigger surprise.

Light slowed his thrusts, muscles twitching with relief and continued pleasure. Pushing in one last time, he reached under Alastair and gripped the man’s wet cock, sliding and twisting as he rasped, “One more time, _doll_ …”

L cried out, his voice cracking as he shook. He hadn’t expected that Light would actually touch him. His hand was so _soft_ and firm. He could only hold on for five pulls before he came, spilling into the man’s hand. He tightened around Light’s cock, sobbing in pleasure as he twitched under him. There was significantly less liquid now, but he continued to twitch in his grip. Tears rolled down his face and a big grin formed there as he went limp once again. “Yours...I’m your toy,” he panted. 

Ryuk cackled softly as he watched the scene below him. “Humans are so interesting.” But when Light looked up with a positively murderous glare, he stayed for just a moment more before phasing up through the roof with a little wave.

  
Light sighed heavily and pulled his hand away; Alastair had barely anything left in him. _Kept my promise_. He mused, half to himself, “Yes... you made an _excellent_ toy.” Pulling out, he tossed the condom aside, too tired to do much more than collapse on the bed in a sweaty, panting heap. He closed his eyes, smiling at how his body felt like it was floating, drifting. This encounter had wrung out every bit of adrenaline and serotonin from his brain, leaving him feeling naturally high in a way he hadn’t experienced before. It made him want to _say_ things he’d never said before, like _‘I want to see you again’_ or _‘You look beautiful when you moan my name’_ or just admit that he liked this human being. Instead, he stayed quiet and reminded himself why relationships were a terrible idea-- he was Kira and no one would ever understand that.


	9. Stacking the Deck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L does the walk of shame back to Wedy and Aiber, and Light starts his recon on who Deneuve actually is in preparation for their meeting.

L shivered, feeling empty inside in more than one way when Light pulled out. He stayed like that for a moment before falling over onto his side, a look of pure bliss on his face as he stared at the other man in a daze. “That was... _amazing_ ,” he breathed, reaching over and stroking Light’s arm gently, just wanting to touch him to reassure himself that this was all real. “Thank you…” He knew he was giving the man a lot of power by thanking _him_ for pounding him into the sheets, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Every inch of his body felt amazing. Closing his eyes, he let out a content sigh. 

Light opened his eyes, dreamily looking from the hand stroking him to Alastair’s face. It wasn’t his usual thing to lay around in bed after a hook-up but he was too tired to move and didn’t fancy seeing Ryuk right away. Not until he’d calmed down a little more. Plus, that soft caress felt nice in a way he wasn’t used to, like something close to care, even if Light knew it wasn’t. He reached for Alastair’s hand with every intention of pushing it away but ended up grabbing it instead, holding it as his lips parted as if about to say something. _Stop it._ _Don’t._ He blushed and let go, staring blankly up at the ceiling. “Do you need a ride home?”

L nodded, pulling his hand back when Light let go of him. _Why did I do that? Did I make him uncomfortable?_ “Yes, I was dropped off here, but I don’t exactly have a ride back,” he mumbled, biting his lip. He didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay and lay with Light. “...would you like a massage? I’ve been told I’m good at them.” _Mostly only by Aiber, and he was probably just trying to get into my pants, but I understand the human body well enough._

Light smiled and gave Alastair an odd look, like he wasn’t quite sure if the man was joking or not. Hadn’t he got what he wanted? What was the point of buttering Light up now? “I’m pretty sweaty and...filthy.” He laughed quietly as he looked down at his body. “You don’t need to do that.” It did sound nice though, and he didn’t exactly say _no_.

“I want to.” L smiled gently, looking up at him. “Also, it will lessen the chances of you being sore tomorrow after doing all of that.” He shifted, blushing faintly. “Of course, only if you want me to. I can understand if that’s too far.” He averted his gaze, fearing that he might be pushing Light away now. _Don’t panic, don’t panic- you can still save this._

“Well…” Light hesitated a moment before shrugging and flipping onto his stomach. “If you really want to, I won’t stop you.” He fluffed a pillow and crossed his arms before laying his head down with a contented sigh. He didn’t really relish having aching muscles tomorrow, maybe this _would_ help.

L’s face lit up when Light actually accepted his offer. Grinning, he sat up and scooted closer, getting to work. He kept his touch firm but gentle, massaging away the tension in the man’s back and shoulders. _He’s so beautiful...I can’t believe I’m touching him...I can’t believe he touched_ **_me_** _._ Biting his lip, he kept his focus on the other. 

Light hummed softly as the tightness in his muscles gradually melted away. Alastair’s deft fingers felt fantastic, although Light was becoming so relaxed he was afraid he might fall asleep. He’d never slept beside a hook-up, didn’t trust anyone like that with the Death Note only a few feet away. It was well hidden and locked up, of course, but Light wasn’t taking any chances. He remembered the consequences of carelessness from his youth very well. 

That thought reminded him he still needed to swallow another piece of the Death Note today and he couldn’t do _that_ with someone else here. _Plus this is feeling too...close._ Turning over, he scooted away slightly with a shake of his head. “I’ll pass out if you keep doing that.” He sighed and got up from bed to stretch before pulling on some comfortable, casual clothes. No sense in showering and putting his suit back on just to drive the man home. He was anxious to be alone, feeling unsettled for some reason. “I’ll take you home now.”

The walk to the car felt absolutely sinful to L. Part of him hoped anyone that saw him now _knew_ what had happened, _knew_ that Light had just fucked him- although the stain on his slacks was enough evidence. He managed to keep it together on the elevator, though his eyes kept drifting to the wall where the other man had pinned him. He kept silent until they were in the car together, having managed to shift into his usual sitting position while buckled in. “I don’t have a laminated card for it like Jon, but I can give you my number, if you’d like,” he murmured, keeping his gaze focused out the window. He tried to look calm and unaffected, but the blush on his cheeks gave him away completely. “You said you frequently come here on weekends, right?”

“Did I say that?” Light cast a quick but pointed look at Alastair, “Oh...I told Jon. Yeah, I do.” It was funny how he’d already completely forgotten about Jon; he only _thought_ he’d hit the jackpot last night but tonight had been even better. “Sure, I’ll take your number.” An alarm bell went off in his head and he quickly qualified the statement. “But...I don’t do relationships. Just so we’re crystal clear.”

_Wait- he thinks I want a relationship? ...do I want a relationship?_ L blinked, staying silent for a moment before quickly shaking his head. “Of course. No romantic relationships, only complicates things,” he mused. While that statement was true, he couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of disappointment. That feeling baffled him, so he chose to shove it down and ignore it. “Swapping numbers will just make it easier for us to do this again. Although, I don’t see a reason for us to not be friends.”

Light pulled up to the front of the hotel, avoiding the parking garage entrance with a hint of a smile on his lips. Alastair would have to walk _all_ the way through the lobby in his current state. “I don’t do friends, either.” _I have enough fake friends and don’t need another._ He shifted the car into park, idling and looking at Alastair expectantly. 

“That’s a shame,” L murmured, unbuckling himself once the car stopped. “I feel like we have a lot in common. But, if you’d prefer that things stay physical, that’s fine, too.” He shrugged, taking out his phone and pulling up the new contact form before handing it to Light.

Light took Alastair’s phone and tapped in his private number before handing it back. “Just tell me yours. I won’t forget it.”

Smirking, L relayed the current number he was using before climbing out of the car. Immediately, he stiffened up, wincing as his body protested the weight shift. _I’m going to be so sore tomorrow...dammit_. He turned to face Light, offering a parting smile. “Hopefully I’ll see you again soon.”

“Maybe.” Light smiled back, and for the first time in a long while, he meant it. “Give my regards to Jon.” 

* * *

“L’s back.” Wedy looked up at Aiber from the laptop she’d been staring at. “I was starting to get worr-- _wait_. Is that YOUR car, Aiber?” She zoomed in on the license plate and let out a long sigh. 

“Mighta lost it in a poker game last night.” Aiber chuckled from where he was lounging on the couch. “No big deal. L already said he’d get me a new one.”

“Christ…you’re worse than useless.” Wedy took a long swig of her wine, smiling fondly from behind her glass. “Hmm, he’s in the lobby...just kind of hanging around. Looks kind of...disoriented?”

Aiber scooted over to look as well. “Is he _limping?_ Oh shit...” 

L grimaced internally. Walking was much more difficult than he had expected. He was still quite a distance away from the elevator, and knowing the walk from the elevator to their suite was after that only made him more aware of the soreness. Sighing shakily, he took out his phone and speed-dialed Aiber.

Aiber answered on the first ring. “Did he _fuck_ you?” Wedy’s muffled voice could be heard in the background saying something like _‘ask if he needs help, asshole!’_ “Heh, want me to come down and get you?”

Red consumed L’s face and he cleared his throat. “...I need assistance. I don’t think I can make it to our suite on my own,” he mumbled into the phone, keeping his voice low out of pure embarrassment. He could feel the eyes of the few other inhabitants of the lobby burning holes into him.

“Be right down.” Aiber hung up the phone and _dashed_ to the elevator, grinning to himself as it descended to the lobby. 

One of the concierges had been eyeing L closely and moved closer to survey the situation. Haughty, “Sir, are you a _guest_ here in this hotel?” His nose wrinkled up as he looked at L’s clothes and wild hair, and there was a definite _scent_ clinging to the man. “I’ll have to ask you to leave immediately if you aren’t.”

L felt a faint twitching sensation in his face, his fuse almost evaporating in an instant. “Yes, I _am_ a guest here, mind your own damn business,” he replied shortly, his humiliation only growing as he finally noticed how _hoarse_ he was. He wasn’t sure if that was a result of Light using his mouth or his own screaming. 

“Well!! I’ll need to see your room key and--”

“Get bent. We’re staying in the penthouse.” Aiber strode towards the detective as the hotel concierge slunk away, but his eyes went wide as he took in L’s _completely_ wrecked state. _Holy shit…_

Relief washed over L when he heard that familiar voice.

Aiber discreetly put an arm around L’s waist to let him lean in as they walked back to the elevator. He whispered, “Um...are you ok?”

L eagerly leaned into Aiber, letting the man carry some of his weight. “Yeah...I’m alright. Better than alright,” he mumbled, laughing quietly. “I got his number.”

“Whoa. Nice job.” Aiber snickered and gave L a wide grin. He punched the elevator call button and thankfully, it opened immediately so they could make a hasty retreat. Whispering, “Looks like you got a lot more than just that, huh?” He leaned L against the side and pressed ‘P’ on the panel. “Not gonna lie, feeling a little jealous here.” He laughed happily when the doors closed and they were out of sight from prying eyes in the lobby. “C'mon I want _all_ the details.”

“He was amazing,” L admitted, shivering as he leaned against Aiber for support. He was exhausted and sore, relatively certain he’d be bedridden tomorrow. “We- ah- we went all the way,” he mumbled, his blush darkening as he stared down at his shoes. “...he’s really, _really_ good…”

“Lucky…” Aiber chuckled as the elevator ascended floors. He teased, “Pretty unfair you got to watch _me_ but I don’t get the same courtesy, huh?” 

L bit his lip, glancing up at the other. “If you’re up for the challenge, check the security footage for the casino’s elevator.” 

“In the ELEVATOR?” Aiber looked down at L, clucking his tongue. “Damn. You bet your sore ass I’m gonna look for that footage...hope Wedy doesn’t catch me.” He smiled and added, “Guess he liked you if he gave you his number. Gonna call him?” 

Laughing quietly, L lifted a hand to card through his hair. “I-..how long do I wait until I call him? Should I wait for him to call first?” He furrowed his brows in thought. _How can I use this for the investigation..? I want to see him again soon, but I’ll seem desperate if I reach out tonight or tomorrow...unless..._

The elevator doors dinged and opened, revealing a _very_ annoyed looking Wedy, hands on her hips. Aiber grimaced slightly as he whispered, “Speak of the devil…”

Immediately, L pressed himself against Aiber, as if trying to hide from the woman. “...hello, Wedy,” he murmured, clutching the other man’s shirt. “...I trust you’ve had a nice evening?”

“No, not really, I didn’t.” Wedy scowled but stepped aside for Aiber to help L into their suite. She trailed after them, her expression only becoming more horrified as she took in L’s state. “And the _reason_ for that is that a certain _someone_ slipped out without telling me where he was going and Aiber was completely useless, of course.”

“Useless?!” Aiber gasped in mock indignation. “A gentleman never reveals secrets told in confidence, Wedy, please.”

“ _You_ are no gentleman.” Wedy darted between the two men and L’s bedroom, blocking the way. “Uh uh, someone better tell me what’s going on _right_ now.”

“I- ah-” L looked back down at his feet, still leaning on Aiber, starting to lose his balance a little when he had to stop. “...I was out at the casino.” He fidgeted, his face warming with shame.

Wedy frowned and closed her eyes with a long sigh. “I don’t even need to ask who did…” Her eyes opened and she loosely gestured to L. “...this, do I?” _Light Yagami._ She could only think of one possible person who L would allow to do this. "You’re playing with fire, L.” She moved out of their way and Aiber shuffled forward to help L onto his bed. “That’s such a conflict of interest! You’re going to be working with him on Wednesday!”

“Aw, give it a rest, Wedy. He’s just having a little fun.” Aiber didn’t have the greatest feeling about it either, not after seeing L’s starry-eyed look, but he wasn’t going to discourage it if that's what L wanted to do. 

L ducked his head down, unable to bring himself to meet Wedy’s eyes. “...I already had this ‘conflict of interest.’ I fail to see how acting on it makes it any worse. If anything, I could use this to my advantage,” he mused.

Wedy grumbled, “Well, it’s a damn good thing you’re going to be only working with INTERPOL via computer this time.”

A thoughtful look came over L’s face when Wedy mentioned his upcoming meeting. “...also, I think I might make that meeting be in-person, instead. Just like before.”

“What?!” Wedy was beyond exasperated but she also knew that when L had made up his mind, there was little point in talking him out of it. “But Light knows what you look like now…”

Aiber snickered, “Guess he’s gonna be in for a surprise on Wednesday then. Do you want us to let INTERPOL know of the change of plans?”

A faint smirk curved L’s lips as he nodded. “Yes, I would appreciate it if you did that. Light recognizing me could work in my favor. Catching Kira off-guard is ideal, and it’s not like I gave him my name.”

“On it.” Aiber gave L a little salute and gently pulled Wedy out of L’s bedroom, closing the door behind him. 

As soon as they were out of earshot, Wedy whirled around and hissed, “Why are you encouraging this behavior? He’s going to get himself _killed_ if he keeps thinking with the wrong head!”

Aiber sidled to the bar to make himself a drink. “Cause he’s having fun. Give him a little credit. He’s got this under control.” He turned around and held up his scotch like ‘cheers,’ unable to keep from laughing at the look on Wedy’s face. “So do you wanna email INTERPOL or will I?”

“You do it. I guess I’ll coordinate with the hotel about secure accommodations here for the operations.” Wedy threw up her hands and strode to her bedroom, closing the door much louder than was necessary.

L chose to ignore the faint, muffled sound of his two friends arguing over, he assumed, him. Sighing, he sank down onto his bed, lifting his gaze to stare at the curtain that concealed his corkboard. “What do you think, Light? Am I compromised?” He laughed, laying his head back and resting his hands on his face. _Am I just lying to myself? Is she right..? I keep_ **_telling_ ** _myself this is for the case, that it’s okay, but…_ Shaking his head, his hands wandered further up, tugging his hair in the same place Light’s fist had less than an hour ago. _God, it was so good, though...I can’t stop there, I just_ **_can’t_** _, and just think how much_ **_rougher_ ** _he’ll be when he knows I’m Deneuve..._

* * *

Ryuk slunk down into the passenger seat as Light sped back to the casino. He was grinning at this new complication that Light hadn’t even recognized yet. “Hyuk hyuk hyuk…”

Light sighed and gave the shinigami an unamused look. “Get an eyeful tonight? You’re supposed to stay out of my sight when I have men over.” He pressed the gas, enjoying the way the night air flipped through his hair. 

“Heh, well, didn’t notice ya stopping. Couldn’t have bothered ya that much, hyuk.” 

“You’re impossible.” Light turned his face slightly to hide his smile from being called out like that. It was true-- he’d been angry at first but then it was sort of exciting. _Never thought of myself as an exhibitionist, but Ryuk’s different._ “I suppose you watch whether or not I can see you. Still...it makes me nervous, ok? So just don’t do it.”

“Alright, alright.” Ryuk stuck his hand out the window, playing with the wind. “There’s just somethin’ different about that guy, ya know?” _Something like he’s L._ “Wanted a front row seat.”

“Back row seat from now on or no apples, you perv.”

“Hyuk! No need to get yer panties twisted, I said ok!” Ryuk chuckled to himself, suddenly remembering something that had been bothering him. “By the by, when’d you learn shinigami language? Didn’t know you knew any of the words of my kind.” He stared at Light intently, really interested in how that happened.

“Huh?” Light shook his head in confusion. “I don’t know shinigami language. What are you talking about?” Sure would be convenient if he _did_ know some; then he could talk to Ryuk without anyone ever knowing what was being said.

“Naw, you definitely do. Heard ya say ‘ _Hu' qaStaHvIS wanI'vetlh_ ’ when you, uh...well...finished with that guy.” Ryuk was confused too because it honestly looked like Light had no clue what he was talking about.

“Don’t be ridiculous, I didn’t say--” Light went quiet as he tried to remember it, and he had a very uncomfortable feeling of those words being familiar. Worse than that, he knew what they meant. _‘Yes that feels so good.’_ “Ryuk...that’s very odd. I know what that means, somehow. I don’t recall saying it though.”

“Kinda heat of the moment, heh.” The shinigami leaned closer. “Try again. Say something else.” 

Light frowned and wracked his brain, staying quiet as they pulled back into the casino to park. He kept his hands on the steering wheel, staring down at it. “No, there’s nothing else. Maybe it was just a weird fluke.” He looked up at Ryuk, puzzled. “Something I heard you say?”

“Nope.” Ryuk spread his wings and flapped out of the car. “Heh, you’d remember if you ever heard me say _that_.” There was only one context where those words were spoken, and shinigami had been forbidden from it for a long, long time.

* * *

Light had just gotten out of the shower when his phone rang in the next room. He quickly wrapped a towel around his waist and hurried to get it. “Hello? Yagami here.”

“This is Gilles, I had to use my personal phone, this is...urgent. Change of plans for the meeting with Deneuve on Wednesday.” Compere sighed heavily, leaning on his desk and resting his forehead on his hand. “Namely, he’s going to be working with you all _in-person_ now.”

“In person? So he’s coming to Lyon after all?” Light paced past the ruined couch in his living room, making a mental note to text Alastair a reminder to replace it. 

“Actually, about _that_ …” Gilles shifted in his seat, rubbing his temples. “This may actually be _more_ convenient for you, but the meeting has been moved to the Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo.” 

_What?!_ “Here...in Monaco…I mean, that’s where I am right now with the rest of the team.” _Does Deneuve know that?_ Light slid into a barstool in the mini-kitchen, picking up his pen to play with it. _That’s the fancy hotel that I was at last night_. _Interesting._ “I wonder why he wants it to be _here_ instead of in France? Nevermind, I know better than to try and work out what these guys are thinking.” Of course, Light was doing exactly that. He sighed, “Are you sure this guy is worth all this trouble, Gilles?” It was quite annoying to have some shadowy nobody yanking his team around, even if the prospect of staying in Monte Carlo on INTERPOL’s dime was very attractive.

“He _says_ he wants to prove that he’s willing to put himself in the ‘same level of danger’ as you.” Even though Light couldn’t see him, Gilles lifted his hand to make air-quotes. “It sounds performative to me, but he _does_ have a good reputation."

“I suppose.” Light frowned and scribbled some notes on the pad of paper on the counter. _‘Research Deneuve in depth. Look into the security of the Hotel de Paris...’_ “Although, I hope my opinion still holds some weight with you. I’ll let you know what I think of the man after we meet, and whether it really _will_ be productive or not.”

Gilles hummed in agreement. “As always. We’re much more hesitant about working with _these_ people now, for obvious reasons.” He laughed mirthlessly, deciding he would be pouring himself something strong tonight. “Just say the word and he’s gone. Our reputation depends on not having another fiasco like last time.”

Light smirked down at his notes, pleased that his subtle attempts over the past few months to wrap Gilles around his finger weren’t in vain. “I appreciate that, Gilles. Please send over any notes Deneuve’s provided about where to meet and when.”

“Already sending them over. They should be arriving in your email shortly,” Gilles murmured, leaning back in his seat. “I hate that I’m calling you for work so often. We really need to plan another dinner. I think my wife misses you more than me,” he joked, laughing.

Light laughed indulgently and capped his pen, holding the phone against his shoulder. “And please tell her I’ve missed her delicious cooking so much.” _Haven’t missed that burnt roast or the indigestion one bit._ “As soon as I’m back in Lyon, we’ll get together. But I should let the team know about everything. Talk to you later, Gilles.” He hung up the phone and tossed it on the counter, the fake smile immediately melting off his face. “ _Damn_ it.” 

Light didn’t like surprises and this was definitely a surprise. The one silver lining was that the meeting with Deneuve wasn’t until Wednesday, so he’d have some time to properly research the man’s prior cases and methods. If he was as good as Gilles seemed to think, perhaps he’d need to go back to being extremely careful again. It wasn’t like he’d gotten any indication that L had taken his bait anyway, so the taunt had probably been for nothing. “How disappointing.”

“Eh? What’s got you down?” Ryuk floated into the kitchen, catching an apple that Light tossed his way.

“Oh, nothing. Just a change in plans. We’ll be staying in Monte Carlo after all but we have to move hotels.” Light pulled his laptop close and checked his email, scanning the details that Gilles had just sent over. Deneuve had already reserved a set of suites for the team at the Hotel de Paris and they could check in on Tuesday. _I have to know it’s safe there._

“Ooo, well that’s great news! I like it better here. Lyon’s so snooty, hyuk hyuk.” What Ryuk really liked was playing with Light at the casino tables and watching his naughty behavior, but he wasn’t going to come out and say that. 

* * *

By the time Tuesday rolled around, Light had dredged up everything he could find on Deneuve from the news, from INTERPOL, even a few things that his father had on file in the Japanese police databases. This detective appeared to be far less active and less aggressive in his methods compared to L, although there were many clients that seemed to prefer that approach. No pictures or personal information to be had for love or money, though.

Ryuk peeked over Light’s shoulder, “So, what’s this new detective guy like? Seems like you’re studyin’ for a test!”

“I am, in a way.” Light looked up from reading one of the files, saying to Ryuk, “I need to know everything about him, how he works, if he has any weaknesses. How good he really is.” He frowned and spread out the papers on his desk. “How to get _rid_ of him as fast as possible. He’s been taking cases since before I was even _born_.” This would be the first time Deneuve had been involved in anything as high-profile as Kira, though.

“Hyuk hyuk, so probably some old geezer then.” Ryuk snickered and added, “Worried you won’t be able to charm his socks off?”

“Nope.” Light laughed, shoulders shaking at how ludicrous that idea was. “If he’s got a pulse, I’ve already won.” He reached for his phone, scrolling through to his father’s number in Japan. “My dad’s worked with him before, years ago. Gonna see what his impressions were.” He held a finger to his lips as he called the number, not wanting to be distracted by shinigami chatter. It was late in the evening in Tokyo but Soichiro picked up the phone quickly. “Hi Dad, hope I didn’t wake you up.”

Soichiro smiled to himself, happy to hear his son’s voice again. “No, not at all. Your mother and I just got home, we went out for dinner with Aizawa’s family to celebrate our promotions.” 

“Promotion?! So you got it!” Light grinned down at his desk, pride warming his body. “Congrats, Dad, you really deserved it. Guess I’ll have to call you Commissioner Yagami now.”

Laughing quietly, Soichiro couldn’t help but grin. “I don’t recall you ever calling me ‘Chief Yagami’ before,” he mused. “Thank you, son. I would have called you sooner, but I know you’re very busy with your work.” His smile faltered, worry seeping in. “Is everything alright?” He sat down at the kitchen table.

“Everything’s fine, just prepping for my first meeting with an outside detective INTERPOL’s brought in to help with a new investigation. That’s what I requested those files on Deneuve for.” Light had spoken with his family last week but a lot had happened since then, and he hadn’t been at liberty to tell them the focus of the new task force. “Says here you worked with him years ago? Was just curious what he was like.”

“You’re working with Deneuve?” Soichiro blinked in surprise, pride filling him. “Yes, I did work with him briefly, although I never met him in person.” He shifted in the chair, furrowing his brows as he thought back to the case. “He was thoroughly professional, but considerate. We spoke over the phone a few times, but most of our communication was through INTERPOL.” Tilting his head, he frowned. “Odd that he’s meeting you. From what I recall, he was very hands-off and worked mostly on his own.”

“Yes, I thought it was odd, too.” Light scribbled down some notes on what his father was saying. “Especially since, at first, he only wanted to work together remotely. Changed his mind, though.” That change in plans was still bothering him. “We’re going to be working out of a hotel in Monte Carlo, so at least that’s a little more interesting than Lyon.” 

Soichiro leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he listened carefully. “Monte Carlo? I trust you’ll be responsible,” he murmured, although the faint chuckle in his voice made it clear he was only joking. 

Light tapped his pen on the table a few times, weighing whether to tell his father more about the investigation. _Might as well_. “Dad, this isn’t an ordinary case. INTERPOL’s got us looking into whether... _Kira’s_ back. Please keep that between us.”

Soichiro’s jovial feeling disappeared completely when his son finally disclosed what case he was working on. Sighing, he closed his eyes for a moment, a pit forming in his stomach. “...I see. I won’t tell anyone, but I expect you to keep yourself safe. Do not hesitate to call me at any time. My schedule might be different now, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be able to help you.”

“I appreciate that, and you know I’ll be as safe as possible. We’re not even sure it’s Kira or not. Personally, that seems pretty unlikely.” Light stood up and opened the sliding door to the balcony, stepping outside into the sunlight. He joked, “It feels a little bit like fate, doesn’t it? You were working on it when I was a dumb kid, and then I grow up and it falls back into my lap?” He leaned against the railing, looking down at the city below. “I hope Deneueve will be more useful to me than L was to you.” He was fishing a little bit, prying into his father’s impressions that Light had only read about or heard second-hand from Gilles.

Soichiro lifted his free hand to rub his forehead, the memories of his work on the Kira case leaving a sour taste in his mouth. “I wouldn’t say L wasn’t useful, he certainly uncovered quite a bit and made more progress than INTERPOL, but...” His frown deepened, recalling his last interaction with the detective. “He wasn’t professional at all. Frankly, I lost all of the respect I had for him after that. The way he treated you, the things he _said_ -” Huffing, he took a few seconds to cool off. It was exceedingly rare for the older man to lose his temper, but the topic of L got him quite close to it. “...Deneuve left a much better impression.”

“Dad, how old do you think L was when you met him?” Light backpedaled a little, “I know you can’t tell me anything _personally_ identifying.” He knew, because he’d asked before and Soichiro’s professionalism (and the non-disclosure agreement he’d signed) had forced him to decline. “But was he young or old? Can you at least tell me that?”

Sighing heavily, Soichiro went silent for a moment, mulling it over. _Technically, Light has higher clearance than I do now. An estimate of his age won’t be harmful._ “Young, very young. I’d imagine he was in his early twenties back then.” He frowned. _I wonder if he’s matured at all. Can someone like_ **_that_ ** _even mature?_

“I see. Thanks, that’s very helpful.” _And a relief._ “Well, please give my love to Mom and Sayu. I should get back to prepping for the meeting. Take care Dad.”

Light hung up the phone, feeling glad to have gained some new insight. He had been toying with the idea-- a very _unsettling_ idea-- that Deneuve and L might be the same person. L had been conspicuously absent from the public eye regarding the Kira case recently, had made no efforts to insert himself into Light’s team like L had done with the first case years ago. Yet Deneuve was taking an interest, not only in the case INTERPOL hired him to assist with, but in _Light_ personally. It felt familiarly invasive and little too pointed for Light’s comfort. Now Light had evidence that wasn’t the case-- his father had met L personally, and L had been a young man. Deneueve had been an active detective for decades before Light had been born. 

Ryuk settled on the couch, reaching for the game controller on the coffee table. “Get some intel from your Pops?”

“Yeah, a little. This Deneuve’s like a ghost though.” Light plopped down next to Ryuk, still turning over everything his father had said. “Well, at least he’s not L.”

Ryuk snickered, holding in the loud laugh he really wanted to belt out. “Hyuk hyuk...yeah, at least there’s that.”


	10. Big Blind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light corners Adrien for information on Deneuve’s nosiness and finally comes face to face with Deneuve himself.

As phase two of Light’s investigations into Deneuve, he’d spoken with each and every one of his team members, carefully pulling out all the details of their ‘interviews’ with the detective. The only one that Light could tell was being evasive about it was Adrien, who was, of course, the weak link he’d been worried about. Finally, the man had agreed to be more candid but only over _dinner_. Light knew it was a ploy but he sighed and agreed, “ _Just_ dinner. That’s it, understand?” When Adrien nodded, wide-eyed and eager, Light strode past him with a twirl of his finger. “Come on then. Might as well be now.”

He walked into the crowded hotel restaurant and approached the host's podium, smiling at the maître ‘d. “Reservation is under Yagami. I’d prefer the booth in the back.” He had no such reservation-- and both the dining room and waiting area looked completely packed-- but Light had been in this situation before and never failed to get a table. 

“Ah...ah, let’s see.” The host’s gaze flicked from the immaculately dressed Japanese man to the rest of the customers waiting a few feet away. Having someone so _attractive_ in their establishment was good for business. “Yes, here it is. Yagami, table for two. This way, sirs.” 

Light followed the host to the very booth he’d been thinking about and gracefully slid into it. He murmured, “Pinot noir, please.” He didn’t anticipate staying any longer than he had to but he needed a drink right away. 

Adrien doggedly followed Light’s lead, taking the seat opposite and ordering the same drink. When the host had left, he smiled shyly at Light. “Thanks for meeting with me, Light--” He quieted down as a waitress came to their table to fill their glasses with water and hand them the menus. When she had gone, he went on softly, “It, uh...feels a little like old times doesn’t it? Being back here?”

Light picked up the menu, looking it over and ignoring Adrien’s comment. “Let’s keep things professional, Adrien. We have a case in front of us and it’s important to keep our focus on that.” He looked over the menu briefly, balancing his need for information with his urge to completely crush the man’s hopes. Adrien’s pathetic pining could be useful. He smiled and blinked slowly, “You know how I get before a new case.”

Adrien’s pupils dilated at that flirtatious smile, that expression of intimacy that he _knew_ Light’s ways. “Y-yes, I remember, Light.” How could he forget? He’d _tried_ to forget Light and it had been an impossible task. 

The waitress stopped at a table that was on the other side of the room and out of Light’s line of sight, topping off a cup of coffee. “The order’s been placed. Can I get you anything else?” Wedy’s lips twitched faintly, amused by the “code” L had instructed her to use. When Light and the other agent had been distracted with the menus, she’d quickly stuck a bug underneath their table.

“No, that’ll be all.” L watched her leave, knowing she would be right outside in the car in case he needed to get away quickly. Shifting, he adjusted the BlueTooth earpiece he wore, briefly glancing across the room at the two. Now that the bug was in place, he had much more to go off of than just reading their lips.

Light set the menu aside and fixed Adrien in his sights. “I’m not sure how I feel about INTERPOL bringing in Deneuve, to be honest.” It was always better to lead off the conversation like _he_ was the one saying something personal. “We know next to nothing about him but he’s expended a lot of effort finding out about us.” He tilted his head, saying more meaningfully, “He seems particularly interested in _me_.”

Adrien shifted in his seat and took a sip of his water. “Can you blame him? You’re the youngest person on the team but INTERPOL put you in charge. I’m sure he’s just curious about you.” He averted his gaze from Light’s, knowing the man could read him like a book, know when he was nervous or lying. “Aren’t you _used_ to people being interested in you?”

“Not people that _I_ don’t know.” _And certainly not to this extent._ Light waited for a waitress-- a different one-- to set down their wine glasses. “I’ll have the filet mignon, rare.” He handed the menu back, and after she’d taken Adrien’s order and left, he went on in a lowered tone. “I want you to tell me what you told Deneuve about me. I need you to be _honest_ , Adrien.”

“W-what does it matter? Not like anything he knows is import--”

“It’s important to _me_ ,” Light hissed. His eyes flashed and he leaned closer across the table. “It’s invasive and I deserve to know.” He could tell that Adrien felt a little afraid to speak up and softened his tact. He whispered, “I didn’t use to have any trouble getting the truth out of you when I wanted it.” He smiled and licked his lips when he noticed the man staring at his mouth. “I know I could get it out of you again, _like_ _that_.” _But like hell I'd ever do it._

L shivered, lifting a hand to cover his mouth as he listened to Light speak to the other man in such a harsh and intense way. _Kira, oh you’re absolutely Kira. Just listen to you. You want to know what I know, don’t you, Light? You can’t_ **_stand_ ** _knowing that I have a card you don’t know about._ He could feel himself already getting excited, his eyes eagerly zeroing in on that swipe of Light’s tongue.

Adrien made a soft, strangled noise in the back of his throat, clenching the tablecloth in his fist. “Maybe I _want_ you to get it out of me like that...would you, Light?” He glanced at the exit of the restaurant, chest rising and falling faster. “I don’t have any rope but--”

_Rope-_ **_rope_** _!_ L bit down on his hand, his eyelids fluttering. His mind started to wander, imagining Light tying him up and _using_ him. _Focus, L, focus._

“No.” Light sighed and leaned back comfortably in the booth, draping an arm on the top. “And I don’t have time for that. We’re changing hotels in a few hours, remember?” He gave Adrien a look of supreme disappointment. “If you put yourself at my mercy again, I don’t think you’d like it as much as before.”

The look on Adrien’s face contradicted Light’s assessment; he was practically drooling into his wine, one hand under the tablecloth doing god knows what. “Then _after_ we get to the new hotel?”

“Possibly.” Light wanted to roll his eyes, wanted to get up and leave in disgust. But he needed to string the man along a little more. “No promises. And certainly not unless you tell me what you told Deneuve.” He tried not to cringe when he noticed Adrien’s arm moving slightly. _Too easy_.

L grimaced, noting the way Adrien was shamelessly stroking himself under the table. The man was ruining this for him, dampening his arousal. However, he could hear Light growing less patient, some sick part of him wanting to see the man lose it on Adrien.

“Ok, Light.” Adrien nodded and went on, slightly breathless. “He, uh...he wanted to know if you and I had a relationship outside of work. I told him that we had and that it was over.” Color rose to his cheeks at Light’s surprised and angry expression. Barely above a whisper, “I swear I didn’t want to say anything but he threatened to tell my _wife!_ What choice did I have?”

Light closed his eyes, willing his features back to a placid mask. Internally, he was _seething_ with rage but he didn’t let the intensity of his emotion show. “I see. And just how much _detail_ did you go into?” His eyes snapped back open, jaw set.

“I was-- I was vague. I didn’t tell him anything about…” Adrien swallowed, his hand stilling. “You know I wouldn’t tell anyone something that would compromise you. Hell, _I’m_ the one that looks like the asshole here.” Sure, it didn’t look great to have a relationship with a fellow employee but it wasn’t strictly prohibited either. 

Light wanted to pummel the man but simply said, “We can both agree on that.” 

Adrien couldn’t stand the cold expression on Light’s face, it was like the sun had been eclipsed. “I’m so sorry, Light. I...I slipped up.” He was too worried about what Light would think to say any more-- like that Deneuve had been stalking Light. “Can I make it up to you? I’ll do _anything_ you want.” His hand strayed under the table again, imagining all the ways he could make this right. “Please…”

L sighed quietly in relief, thankful that the man was too afraid to tell Light the full truth. Shifting in his seat again, he returned his full attention to Light, his own hand wandering down as he took in the man’s angry expression.

“Dinner will be sufficient.” Light forced himself to smile, sensing that this would be all he’d get from the man. He wasn’t interested in anything _else_ with Adrien; the information wasn’t so valuable as to make him endure boredom and disgust. “Although, I’d appreciate it if you kept an eye on Deneuve. Tell me if there are any more unprofessional questions.”

“Of course, Light, of course.”

They’d just finished dinner and were waiting on the check when Adrien’s phone started buzzing insistently in his pocket. Light looked at him pointedly after the third round of buzzing. “Shouldn’t you answer that? Might be important.” 

Adrien sighed and checked his phone, wincing slightly. “My wife. I better take this but I’ll be _right_ back, ok?” He hurried away and into the lobby.

As soon as he was gone, Ryuk zoomed down from the ceiling to perch in the seat opposite Light. “Heh, guess who else is here?” When Light arched a questioning brow, Ryuk snickered and said, “ _Alastair_.” The shinigami flapped over to Alastair’s table, turning upside-down to point at the man. “Over here Light-o!”

Light nonchalantly looked in Ryuk’s direction, immediately meeting Alastair’s intense stare. The man was alone at a small table but had definitely been looking right at Light. _What’s he doing here?_ Other than a quick text about replacing the couch, Light hadn’t talked to Alastair or his roommate since the weekend. He’d been too busy sniffing out intel about Deneuve. But now, images of what he’d _done_ with Alastair flooded his mind, causing him to smirk slightly behind his wine glass before breaking eye contact. 

Chills washed over L the moment their eyes made contact. The logical part of his mind told him this was bad, that he’d been caught and he needed to flee. Instead, at the sight of that smirk, he stood from his seat and crossed the room. Sliding into Adrien’s seat, he continued to stare pointedly at the other man. “Do you come here often?”

Light smiled and laughed quietly, wondering if Alastair was truly this awkward or if it was meant to be humorous. “I should be asking you that. Aren’t you staying in another hotel?” He ignored Ryuk zooming over to perch on an enormous faux topiary beside the table. “Oh, and thanks for taking care of the couch situation.” His gaze traveled down Alastair’s body, or what he could see of it, remembering the man splayed out on his stomach and ruining the furniture. “Nice thing about staying here is nobody asks any questions.”

A brief and nervous smile curved L’s lips. “You’re welcome. I take responsibility for my actions,” he muttered, shifting and adjusting so his knees were at his chest in his usual perched position. “I _was_ here on business, but my client canceled last minute. Then I saw _you_ and...” A faint shade of pink tinted his cheeks. “I suppose I got distracted.” Of course, the first half was a lie, but there was a hint of truth to it. He _was_ here on business, and Light _had_ distracted him.

“Canceled? _Rude_. I hope you bill them for the dinner anyway.” Light grinned and drained his wine glass, looking up when the waitress arrived with the check. He took it and scribbled down Adrien’s room number, handing it back to the waitress. _I hope that phone call isn’t over too quickly._ He turned back to Alastair when she left, suddenly disappointed that he hadn’t marked the man in some way he could appreciate now. “By the way, it looks like I’ll be staying in Monte Carlo for a while since _my_ client’s plans have also changed.” 

_Oh if only you knew...but you will, soon._ L chuckled quietly, a soft breathy sound as he lifted his hand to his mouth, nibbling on his thumb. “I’d call it a blessing in disguise. My schedule for the evening is suddenly quite empty.” As with everything, the “seductive” tone and expression he tried to take was certainly not subtle and quite forced- but in a charming way. “That means we might be seeing more of each other, then?”

“Maybe.” Light gave a noncommittal response but there was interest sparkling in his eyes. “I’m moving hotels-- to the same one _you_ are staying in, actually.” That was a funny coincidence and he might have thought it was _more_ than that except... _no, Deneuve is an old man._ “I don’t know what their policy is on replacing the furniture, though.”

Arching his brows in “surprise,” L tilted his head. “The same hotel? Are you _following me around_ now, Light?” His tone was teasing, but he managed to feign not knowing. “I’ve found they don’t ask many questions, either- as long as you wave enough money their way.” Scoffing, he glanced down at Light’s hands, memories of the man holding him down drifting into his mind. “Don’t take that as an invite to stop by whenever you please, my back can only take so much,” he joked.

“Who said I was planning on stopping by at all?” Light’s smile faded and he looked away before standing up. Assumptions always rubbed him the wrong way. Plus, he didn’t want to be here when Adrien returned and he needed to get to his room and pack. He looked down at Alastair and whispered, “But if I did, I’d wreck more than your back.” 

L’s breath hitched and his eyes dilated when the other man leaned in, the excitement from before returning with a vengeance as he visibly shivered. “Well, I hope those plans change,” he mumbled.

Light smirked and nodded a curt ‘goodbye’ and then signaled Ryuk with his eyes to follow, striding out of the restaurant before Adrien could corner him again. L wet his lips nervously while watching Light leave. He sat there for a while, just staring off into space and imagining what the other could do to him. Eventually, a vibration in his pocket reminded him of where he was and what he was supposed to be doing. Sighing quietly, he left the restaurant for Wedy’s car, ignoring the judgemental look he received.

When Light got back to his room, he tossed Ryuk an apple, saying, “I need you to do a little recon of the new hotel for me. I don’t trust Deneuve one bit.” He smiled at the shinigami, batting his eyelashes. “Can you make sure there’s no bugs or cameras or anything else like that in the team’s rooms?” He turned the laptop screen towards Ryuk, which had a list of the room numbers. “Please, Ryuk?”

“Ehhhh, _five_ rooms, Light-o? Ugh. That’ll take _hours_!” Ryuk’s wings drooped as he whined. 

“Do it and I’ll play some video games with you later.” Light smirked at Ryuk, wondering if that was an even more tempting bribe than apples. He already gave those out so freely but his time was more precious. 

“Hmm.” Ryuk pretended to think it over but his mind was made up in an instant. “Fine, I _guess_ so.” He peered at the screen and memorized the room numbers. “Bet you want me to do it now, huh?” When Light nodded, he sighed and shot through the ceiling, flapping across the illuminated city towards _L’s_ hotel. It wouldn’t be too much longer before Light figured it all out, and the fallout was sure to be _very_ entertaining. 

* * *

_“How about I just call you my_ **_slut_ ** _then?”_

L groaned lowly, his eyes focused on his laptop screen as he struggled to keep his movements subtle. Even if he was in the privacy of his own bathroom, using a dinner tray over the tub to support his computer, the idea of making splashing sounds right now was far too embarrassing. He only managed to last a few seconds longer than the version of himself in the security footage, stroking himself to completion and slumping back against the bathtub. He closed his eyes, letting out a shaky sigh as the warm water relaxed his body.

Unfortunately, his peace and quiet were interrupted by someone loudly banging on the door. “L!” Wedy’s voice carried through the thick wood. “L, you’re not going to believe this, but the cameras I _just_ got finished placing in the INTERPOL agents’ rooms are...going dark.” Quieter, “I don’t understand it, I know there’s not an issue with the connections.”

_Cameras...cameras..? Oh- the cameras!_ L’s head shot up, panic washing over him as the sudden movement almost flipped the tray over. “ _Fuck_ \- what do you mean the-?” He froze, slowly registering the ramifications of that. _The cameras that were placed in the agents’ rooms. That’s far too quick for even INTERPOL to cause problems. This was_ **_Kira_** _. Light._ “Kira disabled the cameras- are the bugs out too? No audio?” He called back.

“No audio, no video, no _nothing.”_ Wedy was frustrated and confused, because who _could_ have been that fast? “There’s no one in the rooms, L. The doors haven’t been unlocked, or I’d know. If it’s really Kira, I have _no_ clue how he’s doing it. Better get out here and see for yourself.”

_No. This was Kira._ **_Light_ ** _did this. Dammit, I-_ Gritting his teeth, L reached over the tub, frantically drying his hands on the nearby towel before moving the tray and his laptop aside. Stepping out onto the rug, he snatched up the towel and tied it around his hips before throwing the door open. “Let me get dressed, I’ll be out-” He froze, his face flushing as he stared at Wedy. The towel was low enough to show the healing finger-shaped bruises on his hips, the thumbs of the bruise distinct on his back. The slightly muffled sounds of pleasure coming from the still-playing video filled the awkward silence.

“Jesus Christ, L. What were you--god, _nevermind_.” Wedy’s eyes went wide before she turned away with a sigh, striding out of the bedroom and into the living room where her laptop was sitting on the coffee table. In the five minutes she’d been gone, two more suites had gone dark. “Shit!” She plopped down in front of her computer, trying to ping any of the missing cameras and bugs, but getting nothing back. 

L threw on his clothes, struggling for a moment with his jeans due to the fact that he was still soaking wet. Huffing, he shook his hair out to stave off some of the water that kept dripping into his eyes. Once he was dressed, he ran out of the room, hurrying over to Wedy. “What is it? Did you see anything?!”

“More like what I _can’t_ see,” Wedy grumbled. She pulled a cigarette from a pack on the table and lit it, gesturing to the screen as another camera fizzled and went black. “Losing one after another. Down to the last suite now. It’s like someone _knew_ they were there, but that’s impossible.” Still, it was infuriating to have her carefully-placed bugs sussed out so quickly. “Maybe INTERPOL has technology for this kind of thing we don’t know about.” 

Rolling his eyes, L folded his arms across his chest. “It’s obvious, isn’t it? _Kira_ is behind this, meaning _Light_ is behind this. It makes sense, does it not?” He was already starting to seethe.

Aiber leaned over the couch to peer at the screen. “Unless Kira is some kinda omniscient ghost, don’t see how it makes sense, L.” He scratched his chin as two more cameras went dark. “Light’s flesh and blood, we _both_ know that.” He snickered when Wedy reached back to swat at him, dodging her. 

“You two are so gross.” Wedy sucked in a long drag from her cigarette and blew it away. She only smoked when she was _really_ nervous these days. “But yeah, I have to lean towards bug-busting tech. It’s too fast, too precise.”

L’s cheeks warmed slightly from Aiber’s comment, but he didn’t acknowledge it otherwise. “You two just don’t get it, do you? It’s far too convenient for him. He could easily have had someone _else_ do this _for_ him!”

Wedy switched to the feed of the hallway outside the team’s suites, looking at L with a raised eyebrow as she rewinded the past 30 minutes. “No one’s gone inside.” She clicked into the log of the hotel’s electric lock system, expanding the text to focus on those suites. “And no entries to any of the rooms. Explain that.”

_You have to be kidding me...they can’t be this dense..!_ Swearing under his breath, L shook his head. “Well _someone_ had to do it, I doubt you accidentally installed self-destructing cameras! Why not Light?” He threw his arms up in the air, his temper already starting to spike. “He’s obviously Kira- the criminals that were mentioned on the news while I was there with him are dead! How am I the one that’s compromised when you two are constantly playing defense for the things he’s _clearly_ done!”

Wedy glared up at L over her cigarette. “Defense? How about reality, L. Believe me, if I really thought that punk had just destroyed about fifty-thousand euros worth of my camera equipment, I’d go kick his ass myself.”

Aiber laid his head on the edge of the couch, laughing to himself. “She really would, too.” He raised his head to look at L, giving him a sympathetic grin. “Why not just put more cameras in?”

“Hmm. If INTERPOL found them once, and _this_ fast, no point in throwing good money after bad.” Wedy stabbed out her cigarette in a crystal ashtray and leaned back with a sigh. “Plus, look.” She gestured to the screen, showing one of the still-functioning cameras directed at the lobby. Several of the INTERPOL agents were at the front desk, checking in. “They’re starting to arrive.”

L’s anger was quickly evolving into full-on fury. “No, how can they already-?!” He spun around, looking up at the clock on the wall. The agents were on time. He was shaking at this point. “You have to be- no, this isn’t _happening_ \- we were _ready_ , we had everything ready!” Crying out in frustration, he swung his arm, knocking a vase off of the nearby table. It shattered on the floor. “This isn’t _right_ ! He did this- _he did this_ \- he’s ruining everything _again_!”

Wedy got up without a word, going to fetch the broom and dustpan from the kitchen. She shoved them both into L’s hands, “Have fun,” before taking her laptop into her room.

L stumbled back when the broom was forced upon him. 

Aiber sighed and knelt down to pick up some of the larger pieces of the vase. “Look at it this way. Isn’t this what you wanted? A challenge?” He smiled up at L, cupping his hand as he added more shards to the little pile. “Would be disappointing if it was too easy, wouldn’t it?” 

Gripping the broom handle, L looked down at Aiber, hesitating for a moment before starting to sweep up what he could. “...I suppose you have a point, but...I just wish you two could see things from my perspective. I know you’re just humoring me. It seems so... _obvious_ that it’s him.”

Aiber hummed, picking up some more pieces and dumping them into the dustpan. “I think you just want it to be him.”

* * *

Ryuk was slumped outside the door to Light’s new room, wings drooping and tongue half-lolled out, when Light rolled his luggage up the hall. “Pah...pah...that was a lot of work, Light-o.” 

_So there WERE bugs!_ Light sucked in a breath and eyed the shinigami nervously, his key card hovering just above the lock.

“Yeah yeah, it’s safe now. I got ‘em all. Smashed and thrown into the parking lot.” Ryuk phased through the wall but stuck his head back out in the hall when Light didn’t come inside. “I’m SURE I got them all. Cmon, I need some apples before I keel over.” He heard the door beep and gave the suite one last sweep with his x-ray vision, but it was truly clean now. 

Light stopped in the foyer to just admire the new suite, which was _much_ nicer than his already very nice rooms at the other hotel. “Wow. I can’t believe Deneuve is picking up the bill for all this.” Were the rest of the team’s rooms like this, too? He rolled his suitcase into the bedroom and started to unpack, dumping out some apples on the bed for Ryuk. “Here you go, I’ll get some more tomorrow after the meeting.” He tucked two of them away for the next day, just in case he needed a bribe. “So how many bugs did you find?”

“Eh…’bout twenty in the other rooms and...sixty-five in yours, hyuk hyuk.” Ryuk flopped on the bed face-down, blindly reaching for one of the apples and swallowing it whole.

“What’s he so interested in watching _us_ for? In watching _me?_ ” Light paced as he put away his clothes and wavered between reporting the illegal surveillance to Gilles. No, this was the kind of thing that would make good leverage if he needed it. “Ryuk, pop down to the parking lot and grab me one of the smashed bugs. Just in case.” He laughed as the shinigami groaned but did it, adding it to a secret pocket in his suitcase where his Death Note was hidden. He’d install a safe tomorrow--one the hotel didn’t have access to.

“Gonna give that Alastair a ring?” Ryuk grinned knowingly.

“Not tonight.” Light’s thoughts were on Deneuve and he had a big day tomorrow. “Plus I promised to play some video games with you, didn’t I?” He grinned when Ryuk whooped and zoomed over to set up the new TV.

* * *

[the next day]

Surprisingly, L was not nervous over this meeting. He was excited- almost _giddy_ \- at the thought of finally getting to see Light’s reaction to his identity. _God, what should I say first?_ L sighed, rubbing his face for a moment before looking up into the mirror. He was wearing jeans and a button-up, long-sleeved white shirt, only slightly more formal than his typical outfit. It was almost embarrassing that he had this desire to look _nice_ for Light, to _impress_ him. The fight to try and tame his hair had been a fruitless task, no progress being made on that whatsoever. _I can’t reference our meeting at all. I need to act like it didn’t happen. Just_ **_be_ ** _Deneuve. Just be Deneuve._

However, preparations still had to be made. Light and his team were waiting in the suite of rooms that would be used as their work headquarters, one floor below his own rooms. Taking a deep breath, he went over the plan once again in his mind. He would wait a few minutes, taking the time to gather his things before entering the elevator, head down and reveal himself, have Wedy and Aiber bring the rest of the documents down, and begin the meeting properly.

Taking another deep breath, L adjusted his clothes once more before stepping out of his room and onto the elevator, descending to the suite. Somehow, one floor of travel felt like forever, but he managed to stay calm, keeping his face expressionless. Once the doors slid open, he stepped out, clutching his laptop bag to his chest. “Good evening, everyone. I am Deneuve.”

At first, Light only felt confusion to hear Alastair speak those words, but then his stomach plummeted and his mouth went dry when the realization struck him like a baseball bat. He’d been lied to, _tricked_ by this man-- Alastair, Deneuve, or _whoever_ he was-- and probably by that fraud Jon as well. And for what? _Why?_ To get him into bed? Fury very briefly contorted Light’s features until he smoothed them back to calm aloofness. More than just his pride was bruised, surprisingly, he felt hurt since he’d actually liked Alastair-- _no, he’s not that person._

“Tried to tell ya something was off about that guy...well, kinda.” Ryuk slapped a hand over his mouth to keep his cackling quiet. When Light slowly dragged his gaze away from L, Ryuk felt a chill go through him at the ice in Light’s glare. _Oh shit…_ He sunk down through the floor and out of sight, figuring it was best to watch this from afar.

“We’re pleased to meet you and have your assistance, Mr. Deneuve.” Light bowed in the Japanese way, hanging back as the other team members approached to shake Deneuve’s hand cordially. Light kept his accusations and anger to himself but it burned in his amber eyes, in the fist he clenched in his pants pocket. His stomach was doing flips at the energy it was taking not to rush across the room and punch the man. He remembered the last time he’d felt this angry, years ago. It felt a little too familiar, and the picture of Deneuve real identity was coming into sharper focus. _L_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! 2020 can gargle Ryuk's balls so here's to a much better 2021 <3


	11. Bad Beat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kira and L meet again as the masks fall away, and L makes his first big move for the case.

L could _feel_ the anger rolling off of Light. That should have scared him, should have dissuaded him from pushing the man any further- but now it only brought him excitement. He could see how the man was barely holding back, maintaining that flawless front while seething behind the mask. He offered a faint polite smile, bowing his head in response. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, as well, Light Yagami. I feel confident that we will be able to catch Kira.” He paused, looking back as Wedy and Aiber stepped out of the elevator. _Right on cue._

“Without question.” Light didn’t flinch when he saw ‘Jon’ come in alongside a woman who seemed familiar but he couldn’t place right away. _The waitress from dinner last night!_ _Another spy._ All those small coincidences took immediate meaning now-- the poker game with Jon, the invitation back to the man’s suite, just happening to bump into ‘Alastair’ at the bar (and all that followed), the chance meeting at his dinner with Adrien. _The bugs in our rooms. The invasive questions about my personal life._ A thrill rippled beneath the surface of Light’s rage, because L had answered Kira’s call after all. His warning shot hadn’t been ignored and perhaps hadn’t even been needed. L had not only never given up on Kira, he’d never stopped following _Light_. He wasn’t sure whether he should be impressed, flattered, or even more furious at how all this had turned out. Despite the jumble of confusing emotions, one was crystal clear-- _excitement_. 

“On that note, my first action will be taken now.” L walked over to his desk, already set up with his computer. “An announcement to the public will be broadcasted to every major station in western Europe.”

One of the INTERPOL agents, Sophie, gave Light a look of alarm. “Does Gilles know about this announcement?”

Another agent, Lucas, said, “Mr. Deneuve, we’ve been given orders to _keep_ this investigation from the public, not expose it!”

“That’s right. Since we have no concrete proof of Kira’s resurgence, INTERPOL has no wish to terrorize the world with hearsay.” Light nodded, pulling his phone from his pocket with a smile. _Asshole, I know it’s you. Are you still as frustrated as you were when I left that interview six years ago?_ “Perhaps we should call Gilles and see what he thinks before doing something so rash?”

L shook his head, picking up the nearby TV remote and turning on the television bolted to the wall. “There’s no need. The message will be aired shortly, and Gilles gave me permission to take any actions I deem necessary. Kira was shown to react to sudden challenges and surprises in the past, and INTERPOL would never approve of something quickly enough to guarantee Kira didn’t catch wind of it first.” He paused, making eye contact with Light. “I have a strong feeling that this will happen again.”

“I somehow doubt that Gilles gave you permission to take _any_ actions, but suit yourself.” Light slipped his phone back into his pocket with a little shrug. “I’m sure he’ll be interested in your explanation.”

Sophie asked, “What do you mean Kira reacts to sudden challenges, Mr. Deneuve?” The rest of the team was visibly uncomfortable, looking between Deneuve and Light with uncertainty. They had their clear orders and this was in direct contradiction to them. “None of our evidence shows that at all?”

Pierre nodded, saying stiffly, “I’ll just lodge my formal disagreement with this action.”

Adrien added, “Me too!” He sidled closer to Light, who moved away and sat comfortably on a couch, watching ‘Deneuve’ intently with a steady, hostile glare. 

_Of course, he already has his agents wrapped around his finger._ L sighed quietly, shaking his head. “I’m referring to the Lind L. Tailor incident from the initial Kira case. Following a challenge and confrontation, Kira acted swiftly, proving his existence.” He smiled, turning to face the group. “My goal here is to draw him out again by implementing a similar tactic. An open challenge that will force him to act and reveal himself to us.”

Light’s eyes narrowed as he listened to this thin cover. _Not a similar tactic, the SAME tactic. And you thought Kira would make the same mistake again, right in front of you. Nice try._ L was trying to catch Light off-guard in every way he could, even putting him in an angry (and therefore, compromised) mental state by the ‘Alastair’ ruse.

“We have no hope of proving Kira’s existence otherwise, it is already clear that he is killing via less suspicious methods. No, the _only_ way to prove Kira’s existence is to get him to do it himself.” L lifted his gaze to the TV screen as the evening news broadcast began. “The announcement will begin in approximately...45 seconds.”

Lucas swore under his breath, shooting Deneuve a glare before going to sit beside Light. He murmured to the man, “We _sure_ he’s actually helping?”

Light bit his lip to keep from grinning, looking down at his watch to count down the seconds. _Oh, this feels familiar. About 5 seconds too long, though._ “You certainly have a flair for the dramatic, Mr. Deneuve. Well, let’s see what Kira does in payment for a ploy that will upend the peace of mind of all the world.” He looked up and caught Deneuve’s stare. “Hope it’s _good_.”

“I assure you all that I have confidence that this broadcast will prove useful to us.” L nodded, climbing onto his computer chair, perching with his knees at his chest. He held Light’s gaze, noting the way the man had looked at his watch. _Are you waiting for it, Kira? Do you count down to the deaths of your victims the same way?_

**_“Good evening. We begin this broadcast with a special report on an accident that occurred at-”_ **

The screen suddenly switched from the stuffy news anchor to a grainy, grey background with the name “Deneuve” displayed in cursive.

**_“Hello. This is an announcement from Deneuve.”_** The voice was filtered heavily and lowered in pitch, but the words were still distinct enough to understand. **_“I am calling upon the public to assist me in catching the criminal known as ‘Kira.’”_**

“The _public_?” Pierre let his head fall into his hands and he massaged his temples. He could already see the long line of wild goose chases that were going to result from this.

**_“All evidence I have indicates that Kira has returned. While this is not a 100% guarantee, I am confident that, with your help, he will be apprehended. I am establishing an international Kira Hotline, along with a free app on every major app store for the purpose of reporting all tips and information related to Kira. Your eyes and ears are the best surveillance system we have, please report anything you feel is suspicious. I appreciate your cooperation.”_ **

Sophie frowned and said, “Hotline?! Who’s going to be manning the phones? Don’t we have enough to do?”

L shook his head, lifting a hand to his mouth to nibble on his index finger. “Not necessary. I’ve already hired and employed the needed staff. You won’t have to do anything aside from review the evidence forwarded to us.”

**_“And, Kira, since I know you are listening, I would like to address you directly.”_** The voice paused, letting that hang in the air for a moment. **_“I already have a strong suspicion of who you are. I have eyes and ears on you at all times, and now the public will, too. There is nowhere you can run or hide, not from justice. I will defeat you, I will catch you, and I will put an end to your crimes.”_** The screen promptly cut back to the same stuffy news anchor, several other staff gathered around, some slack-jawed and others whispering. The feed quickly cut to a standby screen.

Any lingering doubts Light had that Deneuve might be _L_ were quickly wiped away by those words. _Justice. Defeat. Still calling Kira a criminal._ There was one major difference-- during the Lind L. Tailor ploy, L said he’d _kill_ Kira, but this time the word was changed to ‘catch.’ Either way, it was definitely L and Light couldn’t be more excited, even if the fury at being tricked in such an _intimate_ way hadn’t lessened at all. _It will just make it even sweeter when I do kill him._ He tilted his head at the standby screen, as if something else were supposed to happen. “What makes you think that instead of drawing Kira out, this won’t push him further into the shadows? Or do you think Kira such a fool as to fall for the same type of ploy twice?”

L did his best to not make the fact that he was eagerly watching Light for his reactions incredibly obvious. _What are you thinking, Kira? Did that excite you? Infuriate you? Amuse you? Are you just as thrilled as I am by our little game?_ He wet his lips, turning to face the team again. “No, you misunderstand my assessment. Kira is not a fool. Kira is brilliant. However,” his lips twitched into a faint smile, but his eyes were almost gleeful. “Kira cannot resist a challenge. He is competitive, egotistical, and self-righteous. There _will_ be a response to this, that much is inevitable.” He shifted, grabbing his desk and turning his chair so he could get to his computer. “Also, the hotline and app will be incredibly helpful in gathering evidence and tips. Most people have a camera on them at all times these days- not making use of that would be foolish.”

Before Light could respond, his work phone buzzed in his pocket. _Right on time._ He pulled it out and hummed ominously. “It’s Gilles.” Smiling up at Deneuve, he held the man’s gaze as he took the call. “Yagami here.”

Everyone in the room could hear Gilles shouting through the phone, “PUT DENEUVE ON THE LINE!” The INTERPOL agents cringed, one of them snickered. All of them had known this was coming.

Light held the phone out to Deneuve, saying sweetly, “It’s for you.” 

Admittedly, this was the part that L dreaded. Every scenario he ran through in his head ended in Gilles’ fury. Refusing to give the agents a reaction, he wordlessly accepted the phone, holding it up to his ear. He knew this was the first time he’d be speaking to the man without a filter over his voice. “Hello? This is Deneuve.”

Gilles’ voice was shaking with anger over the line, “What in the HELL do you think you’re doing? I _explicitly_ told you that the potential re-emergence of Kira was to be kept a SECRET!”

L fidgeted, averting his gaze to his keyboard. “...yes, well, I have the utmost confidence that this broadcast will be extremely beneficial to the investigation. By using the public to spread our options without sacrificing resources, gathering evidence will be much more efficient.”

“WHAT YOU’VE DONE IS CREATE A PANIC!” Gilles sputtered, “I have the governments of half the WORLD on hold right now, asking me if this is true, what they should be doing! And I have to explain to them that NO we do not have any evidence and to ignore everything you just said.” Gilles took a deep breath before he could go on. “Deneuve, we will no longer be needing your services. Send my team back to me immediately.”

Gritting his teeth, L glared at his desk, refusing to even look at Light or the other agents. “Think carefully about this decision, Gilles,” he paused, letting that hang in silence for a moment before continuing. “You need me. You won’t be able to catch Kira without me. Are you absolutely certain about this?”

Wedy and Aiber both took a step closer, watching L as they prepared for a potential outburst.

“I am certain. Deneuve, you have no idea the mess you’ve left INTERPOL to clean up now. I explained very clearly what my expectations were regarding confidentiality, that you could run any risky plans by myself or Light. And you did not listen to any of it.” Giles now sounded more tired than angry, he’d expelled the worst of his fury. “Put Light back on the line. I owe him and the rest of the team an apology for this blindside. Good day.”

L sat there in silence for a moment, his body stiffening as he frowned. _I am not letting you have this. You don’t want my help? So be it. I don’t_ **_need_ ** _INTERPOL. I have Kira right here._ “..alright. I apologize for the inconvenience,” he murmured after a while, turning and holding the phone back out to Light. “All of you are dismissed.” While, remarkably, he had yet to truly lose his temper, the tenseness of his jaw gave away just how close to the breaking point he was.

Light watched L carefully and could hear most of the conversation, the wheels quickly churning in his mind. On the one hand, L had done the hard work himself--- Deneuve was now as discredited as L in the eyes of INTERPOL. _Hadn’t he learned from his past mistakes, or that INTERPOL would be twice as wary now?_ On the other hand, if ‘Deneuve’ was now fired, he’d slip through Light’s fingers. INTERPOL didn’t know it and Light surely wasn’t going to tell them, but L was absolutely right. That made him Kira’s most dangerous enemy and someone Light needed to keep an eye on until he figured out how to kill the man. 

He took the phone, one finger brushing over L’s skin in a way that could appear completely accidental, but wasn’t. “Hello Gilles. What a surprise, hmm?”

“Light...I don’t know what to say to you or to the other agents except I’m sorry. Your jobs probably got a lot harder now. Please come back to Lyon tomorrow and we can figure out how to proceed.”

Light worked his jaw around, thinking fast. _I need to find a way to stay a little longer, test whether ‘Deneuve’ will continue the case for personal reasons, like L would._ “I agree that the rest of the team should head back but…” He looked up at L, his expression unreadable. “I’d like your permission to stay in Monte Carlo and wrap up things with Deneuve, just for a little while. It’s not inconceivable that something really will come of this announcement and one of us should stay to investigate that _slim_ possibility.”

“What?” Gilles was genuinely surprised. “Light, this announcement was a disaster! We can’t condone it!”

Light calmly said, “The fact is, it’s happened. We might as well use it to our advantage.” _My advantage_. “Otherwise it’s a wasted opportunity. If nothing comes of it, I’ll return to Lyon. But I suppose it’s worth a week or so of my time?”

“....” There was silence on the phone as Gilles thought it over. “You’re right. Thank goodness one of us has a cool head.” He sighed, “Alright, but not you. Tell Adrien to stay with Deneuve.”

Light nearly laughed out loud. He held a hand over the phone mic and said to L innocently, “Gilles suggests that Adrien stays with you.” His lip curled just slightly, enough to betray his amusement. “Would that be acceptable to you?”

The look on L’s face said far more than any words ever could. For that brief moment, his misery had multiplied tenfold, but he quickly schooled his expression. “No. I mean no offense, but he does not meet the qualifications necessary for such a task. Your first suggestion is acceptable.”

Adrien shot Deneuve an offended glare but held his tongue.

Light nodded and spoke into the phone, “Adrien’s a no-go but he would agree to me staying.”

“Hmph. The other agents were good enough before, I don’t see why-- oh nevermind. If it’s what you think is best, I’ll leave it up to your judgment, Light.” The fight in Gilles had left and he trusted Light to make the right decision. “Send the others back to Lyon then, and please check in with me every few days. If nothing comes of it after a week, I need you back here.”

“Understood, sir, goodbye.” Light hung up and let out a long breath. “I suppose the rest of you heard most of that. You’re all to return to Lyon tomorrow and I’ll be staying here to work with Deneuve for a short while.”

L blinked in surprise, truly not expecting Light to _actually_ follow through with that. _Does he want to be around me? Or is this an attempt to get close enough to end my life?_ He looked the younger man up and down, searching for the answer. _Perhaps a mixture of both?_ Shifting awkwardly, he fidgeted with a button on the cuff of his sleeve. “...all of you will continue to have full access to the amenities this hotel has to offer. I will cover the costs.” _I wonder if I can convince him to stay on my floor- or would that be foolish?_

The atmosphere in the room was incredibly tense and uncomfortable as the agents stood up, unsure of what to do. Lucas asked, “Light, are you sure you’ll be alright?” He shot a look at Deneuve and the other two people in the room who hadn’t bothered to introduce themselves.

“Yes, I can take care of myself.” Light stood up with a tight smile. “I’m not a kid anymore.” He caught L’s gaze before walking the rest of the agents to the elevator to say his goodbyes.

L shivered slightly, watching Light walk away. _Not a kid anymore...does he know who I am? Does he_ **_already_ ** _know?_ Another thought that _should_ have terrified him, but it did not. He looked up as Aiber approached him, briefly worrying he was getting ready to receive a lecture while Light was in the room when the blonde rest a hand on his shoulder.

“You okay? Need a minute to step out and cool off?” Aiber whispered, lowering his head by L’s ear. “Maybe some time to think about this? You’re inviting the guy you think is _Kira_ to be around you without his team. Are you _sure_ this is-?”

Lifting a hand to stop him, L shook his head. “Yes, I’m certain. This is my only chance. I can’t let him get away,” he murmured, keeping his voice low, just in case. “I’ll be alright.”

Light shook the last hand, waving goodbye to the agents as the elevator doors closed. In a way, he’d have more freedom. It wasn’t like he was really here to solve the Kira case, and now he wouldn’t have to worry about managing four other people. Now he only had to manage _one_. _One human and one shinigami_. He walked back to L’s large office, leaning in the doorway with his hands in his pockets. “Well, I guess you’ll have to let me know how I can _help_ you, Mr. Deneuve.” He tilted his head as he looked at ‘Jon’ and the woman with L. “Would you _properly_ introduce me to your associates? I know we’ve already met but...I’m afraid I’m not completely certain what to call any of you.” _Including you, L_.

L shifted, running his fingers through his hair as he sighed, debating his options here. “You’ve already met Jon,” he motioned to Aiber. “This is Claire,” he motioned to her. “Would you two head up to our suite? I would like to speak to Light alone.”

Wedy folded her arms, fixing her gaze on L. “Are you _sure_ about that?” She looked over at Aiber, searching for support, only to find the man standing there with a smirk on his face. Sighing heavily, she pushed her shades up. “...alright. If you aren’t upstairs, or you haven’t updated me after an hour, I’m coming back down to check on you.” With a huff, she grabbed Aiber by the collar, dragging the protesting man along to the second elevator.

Turning to face Light, L tilted his head slightly. _...I can’t tell him. Not yet. Revealing that might...sour the mood._ “I must admit, I’m surprised you’re so eager to stay on the case with me after that,” he mused, lifting his hand to nibble on his thumb. “Is it truly only because of the potential benefits of that announcement? Or were you eager to spend more _personal_ time with me?”

“I’d hardly call it ‘eager’ to object to passing up an obvious opportunity.” _To kill you._ Light pushed up off the doorway and came a little closer, but hung back, watching and wary. Being alone with the man he _knew_ had to be L made it much harder to control his temper, but this room surely wasn’t private. He looked around the room, wondering where the bugs and cameras were hiding. He could bribe Ryuk to tell him later, but right now he wasn’t at liberty to ask. “I’m interested in solving the case and Gilles is interested in damage control.” His eyes traveled down L’s body, the look on his face purposefully at odds with his professional and safe words. “It was either go back to Lyon and waste my time appeasing the global superpowers, or stay here and have a little _fun_.” He sat on the couch, making himself comfortable. A slight note of sarcasm, “Of course, if you don’t want me here, I’ll head back.”

For a moment, the sarcasm was lost on L, panic rising up inside of him. _Leaving? No- not yet, I haven’t even- ...oh, he’s joking._ A nervous chuckle slipped past his lips as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. “I never claimed to not want you here with me. I was merely curious about your motivations.” 

Light glowered up at L, “And what of _your_ motivations?” Bluntly, “Why did you lie to me about who you were, telling me your name was Alastair?” L pretending to be Deneuve was something he could understand-- that trick had a purpose if L wanted to get close to Kira and arrest him. It was less clear why a _third_ pseudonym was necessary, especially if the meeting was changed to an in-person one and Light would ultimately see the farce. “Just so you could humiliate me today?”

“No,” L stated firmly, his expression growing a bit more serious. “I had no malicious intentions towards you. I did not see being truthful about my identity as an option. If I told you who I was, you would already have a preconceived bias against me. As ‘Alastair,’ I was a stranger you knew nothing about.” He shifted awkwardly, a bit uncomfortable as he realized how true these words felt. “...I suppose I wanted the chance to know you. You _fascinate_ me, Light Yagami.”

“If I remember correctly, there was exactly one thing you wanted to know. Well, I hope it sated your curiosity.” Light didn’t like being deceived when it came to something like sex, and he still wasn’t satisfied as to why L lied. _It absolutely was to humiliate me, because I didn’t know who Deneuve was any more than I knew who Alastair was._ He let himself pout for only a second before wiping his bruised feelings aside, for the moment. “Anyway...I suppose it’s my fault for trusting. I’m not usually that naive.” He looked up at L and said, “Lesson learned.”

L frowned, unable to recognize the heavy feeling in his chest as he watched the other man. “Light, I wouldn’t say you’re at fault here…” _This is extremely inconvenient. Neither of us can say or do the things we want with these cameras on us, as useful as they usually are...but what if…_ “But, perhaps this conversation would be better elsewhere? Have you eaten dinner yet?”

Light checked his watch, surprised that it already was dinnertime. He hadn’t eaten much at all today, too keyed up about learning about and then meeting Deneuve. _Of course it was L, I was naive about that, too._ “No, I haven’t eaten.” He stood up and added, “Is that an invitation?” At least a restaurant would be noisy and crowded, harder but not impossible to bug. 

L’s expression softened, a faint shade of pink dusting his cheeks. “...yes, I suppose it is an invitation,” he murmured, looking the other man over. “I’m not exactly familiar with the restaurants in the area. I don’t eat out very often.” Glancing down at himself, he sighed. “...you’re already well-dressed for such an occasion. Would you prefer that I change?”

“Do what you like. I need to go to my room for a moment. Come by when you’re ready.” Light gave L a quick bow and left the room in a hurry, eschewing the elevator for the stairs since it was only one floor down. Each step felt like a hammer on the nail of his anger, pounding the humiliation deeper. _He got me...and I SHOULD have known it was him!_

It wasn’t until he was safe inside the privacy of his room that he finally let it out, picking up a bottle of complimentary champagne and hurling it across the room with a scream. “That _BASTARD!”_ He clutched his hair, a snarl on his lips as he looked around for Ryuk. “Show yourself, you coward!” He paced through the living room, kicking over a floor lamp. Spinning around he hissed, “NOW, Ryuk!”

Ryuk slowly phased up through the floor nervously, showing only the top part of his face. “Uh...Lighto? You alright buddy?”

“No, I am _not_ alright, you traitor!” Light stomped into his bedroom, yanking off his work clothes and flinging them into the closet. “You knew it was him and didn’t tell me!”

“Heh...ya know it’s against the rules to tell about names.” Ryuk floated up through the floor completely but gave Light a wide berth. “Hands were tied, hyuk.”

Light shot the shinigami a glare before rummaging through his closet for something devastatingly sexy. If _this_ was the game that L wanted to play, Light would play it and _win_. He grumbled, “That’s just an excuse. You knew it would be entertaining to watch so you kept your trap shut.”

“Wellll…..” Ryuk cackled, he was caught. “Guess ya got me there. But at least ya found him, right?”

Light slipped on a black dress shirt and a red silk tie, nothing extremely flashy, but something that had been exquisitely tailored to his body. “Not in the way I hoped, you mangy bat.”

“Hey! No need gettin’ personal.” Ryuk preened his feathers sulkily. “Not mangy at all. Shinigami can’t even get that.”

“Sorry…” Light shrugged on a matching black jacket, his temper coming down slightly as his head started to clear. “This is just...I mean he _lied_ to me, just to get into my pants! What kind of detective even does that?!”

Ryuk grinned and pulled out the picture he’d swiped from L’s corkboard. “A detective that’s pretty damn compromised.” He handed the picture to Light, who took it with quiet amazement. “Swiped that from his room. Had a whole bunch more, all of em….uh, _personal_ pictures.”

“What?” Light gazed down at the worn picture, its edges bent from handling. “This is from when I just joined INTERPOL.” _Oh...._ Another picture was coming into sharper focus-- the one where the detective slowly becomes infatuated with his suspect, enough so to throw caution to the wind and engage in some very extreme risks. “Oh shit...Ryuk, this might be just the angle I was looking for.”

“Heh, see? Ryuk’s got yer back after all.” In truth, it was pure coincidence that he’d taken that picture but it seemed like it was going to save his ass with Light.

Light smiled up at the shinigami, putting the picture into his jacket. “Don’t think this gets you off the hook completely. I want you to make sure there are no bugs when I’m at dinner with him. Got it?”

“Yeah yeah,” Ryuk nodded, rubbing his hands in excitement. “So, that mean ya got a plan?”

“Of course I do.” Light straightened his tie in the mirror and sprayed on a whiff of subtle cologne. “I’ll get him to _really_ fall for me, _trust_ me, and when he’s told me his name…”

“Kkkkrrrrkkk!” Ryuk drew a finger across his neck, grinning so wide all his razor-sharp teeth gleamed. 

Light laughed softly, smirking at the shinigami over his shoulder. “Exactly.”


	12. Cold Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L and Light go to dinner and talk about everything but the case.

_Fuck, I’m so compromised. Wedy was right._ L stood still for a while after Light left the room, his mind reeling. _What does he mean by inviting me to his room? Am I reading too much into this? Or is he-?_ He sighed shakily, rubbing his face. _No. No. Keep it together. Stay with the plan._ Rolling his shoulders, L hurried up to his suite, trying his best to look calm and collected. He completely and utterly failed at that the moment he stepped off of the elevator.

“Aiber, I need your-!” L froze in place, his gaze landing on Wedy. She was standing a few feet away, her arms folded. He could _feel_ her stern eyes despite being unable to see them behind her shades. Suddenly quite sheepish, he dropped his gaze to the floor, fidgeting. 

“Well? What happened?” Wedy tipped her head slightly, tapping her foot on the floor. It was clear that her patience for L and his antics was running thin. “You’re still dressed, so I guess I should be proud of your restraint.” Her voice was dripping sarcasm. 

The chill of Wedy’s tone cut L to his core. He _knew_ that was a purposeful jab, but the fact that he could hear the truth behind it threatened to bring him to full awareness of just how foolish he was being. Instead of coming to that conclusion, he cleared his throat. “We discussed my deception, and I invited him to dinner to further discuss the case.”

Wedy sighed, turning to look over at Aiber, who had occupied himself with the mini bar. “You’re not even going to back me up here, are you? You know you’re the one enabling him.”

“Wait a minute!” Aiber held up his hands defensively. “He’s an adult, you can’t just blame _me_ for what he does. He can do whatever he wants, and we know he’s smarter than both of us. It sounds like he has this shit under control.”

L’s face flushed as frustration began to bubble up in his chest. It felt extremely demeaning to stand and listen to the two speak as if he wasn’t even there. He respected them both, but it was starting to feel like they had no respect for him as a mature, functioning adult. “I’m not doing this just to be intimate with Light! This dinner is an apology for my deception. If he’s going to ‘work’ with us, it has to have a good foundation!” He insisted, looking between the pair as he sought support from either of them. 

“Get him to be friendly enough with you for you to keep an eye on him and establish ‘trust.’ Huh.” Wedy focused her attention back on L, looking him over. “...I’m sorry, L, I misjudged the situation. That’s a damn good plan.” _I’m surprised he actually has a plan, even if it is clearly pulled out of his ass last minute._

Relieved, L nodded, walking over to Aiber now that his scolding was done and over with. “As I was saying, I need you to help me get ready. I-...” He paused, scratching the back of his head as he avoided eye contact. “...I don’t know what to wear.”

“Getting dressed up to ‘discuss the case,’ huh?” Wedy shook her head wearily, she knew she was defeated this time.

A bright, smug grin formed on Aiber’s face. He stood up from the stool, promptly looping an arm around L’s shoulders. “Not sure what to wear for your _date,_ huh? I’m sure I can give you a few pointers,” he teased, tugging the other man along to his room.

L stumbled as he tried to keep up, completely caught off-guard by how _eager_ Aiber was to help with this. Starting to feel jittery, he sat down on the edge of his bed while watching the conman digging through his closet. “I’m not entirely sure if I even own suitable clothing.” _The nicest thing I can think of is...soiled...after my last encounter with Light._

“Don’t worry,” Aiber turned his head to flash a smile at his friend. “I’m sure we can figure something out.”

* * *

L took a few deep breaths to calm himself before stepping forward one last time and knocking on Light’s door. He felt so uncomfortable, so anxious. _Aiber said I look good, but I feel ridiculous wearing this. Will he be able to tell? Or-?_ He shook his head, huffing through his nose. _Not now. Don’t let him catch you off-guard._ Shifting, he adjusted the sleeve of his light grey suit jacket. He had been surprised when Aiber didn’t force a tie onto him, leaving him with just the white button-up under the suit jacket and matching grey slacks. He reasoned to himself that, perhaps, a tie was _too_ formal for just a dinner, but the loosened top button the conman insisted on undoing had no other explanation. 

When Light opened the door, he was the picture of calm tranquility, having already unleashed his tantrum in private. The broken champagne bottle had been whisked away by Ryuk as a little penance, and he’d left a call, as well as a generous tip, for housekeeping to take care of the mess while he was gone. “Alastair.” He smiled, although it didn’t reach his eyes, and he was much more aloof than he’d been during their first meeting. “I assume I should still call you that in public.” Light stepped into the hall, giving L’s clothes an appreciative glance but saying nothing.

It felt like the wind had been knocked out of L when he finally laid his eyes on the other. He scanned him over, unable to fully hide the hunger in his eyes as he admired the way Light’s clothes fit his body. For a moment, he completely forgot how to speak, left with his dry mouth and awkward fidgeting. However, he regained himself when the man began walking away, quickly following. “Yes, referring to me with that name would be for the best.” 

“I feel like getting out of this hotel for dinner.” _And make it harder for your people to follow me or listen in._ “Any objections?” Without waiting for a response, he pressed the button for the elevator.

L looked down at his shoes as they waited for the elevator, his heart pounding just from the memory of what happened the last time he was alone in one with Light. “I have no objections, but I’m not very familiar with the restaurants in this area. I trust your judgment on the matter.”

“Ah, so you’ll trust my judgement as far as dinner plans go, but my opinion about sudden public announcements about the case is too far?” Light entered the elevator when it arrived, leaning casually against the side as he pressed the button for the parking garage. He was still struggling to keep his temper under control but would never do or say anything suspect in public. “INTERPOL didn’t hand me this job for nothing. You’re going to have to be more _forthcoming_ if you intend to get anything from working together with me.” He thought that sounded appropriately indignant for being blindsided, and not just because he was _Kira_. 

“Ah- yes, I suppose it was incredibly rude and non-cooperative to not run that by you first,” L murmured, refusing to make eye contact with Light. He knew that he needed to be on his guard, and that he couldn’t afford to let the man distract or soften him. “...I apologize, Light. We haven’t gotten off on the best footing, have we? I will do my best to ensure that I’m a better...teammate.” He _was_ being genuine, but apologizing and trying to work with someone was not something he had experience with. “...do you have a restaurant in mind..?”

“Yes, but it’s a surprise.” Light gave L a lop-sided smile, taking everything the man had said with a grain of salt. _This is exactly the footing you wanted-- me, off-balance._ “A little place by the sea, just a hole in the wall but their food is excellent.” The elevator dinged and Light exited, making his way to his--formerly Jon’s-- car. He laughed and added over his shoulder, “I promise not to toss you off the cliffs.” _Yet._ He put the convertible top down and slid into the driver’s seat, waiting for L to get in.

L chuckled quietly, although the sound was slightly nervous. He climbed into the car, shutting the door and buckling himself in before looking over at Light. “Might I ask what they serve? I have very particular tastes.” _Why am I so afraid of embarrassing myself? I shouldn’t care about what he thinks of me._ Shifting, he directed his gaze to the window, trying to will the faint heat forming in his cheeks to go away. “Or is that a surprise as well?”

“No you may not.” Light turned the key, smiling as the engine roared to life. “How is it that your...roommate Jon is so easy-going and you’re so particular?” His tone was slightly teasing but it was something of a mystery how two people that seemed so different were friends. _More than friends._ But Light didn’t want to drop hints about where they were going, only to find suddenly snoopy waitresses or bugs Ryuk would have to take care of. He pulled out of the garage and sped through the city streets, heading northeast to the sea.

Making a face, L hugged his knees to his chest, resting his head on them. “Well, friendship is hardly built on food tastes.” He frowned, the blush in his face growing worse. Feeling a little indignant, he huffed, “And I suppose there’s nothing in _your_ life that you prefer to have control over? Nothing you’re particular about?” Normally, such things wouldn’t get to the detective, but Light judging him made him feel utterly inadequate, and he wasn’t entirely sure how to deal with those emotions. 

“Yes.” Light kept his eyes on the road, seething inside and unable to completely keep the edge from his voice. “I’m quite particular about my privacy, actually.” _Yes, I know you’ve been watching me, interrogating people about me, trying to bug me._ “I’m sure you’ve picked up on a few other things I like to be in control of.” He snorted and gave L a small smirk, remembering the man’s ‘request’ in the elevator to _not_ be in control. 

The red spread from L’s cheeks to his ears. He lifted a hand, resting it atop his head as if trying to hide himself from Light. He felt beyond uncomfortable now, vulnerable and with no way of predicting what would happen. Not knowing what to expect _terrified_ him, but, at the same time, not knowing what to expect from _Light_ was thrilling. “...yes, I suppose you’re correct. I apologize for invading your privacy. I should not have violated that just to gain information.”

“I thought you weren’t going to lie to me anymore.” Light sighed, slowing the car to turn onto a road that followed the sea. “I know you’re not sorry.” Perhaps L was only sorry that he didn’t get anything more than lurid gossip. “But if there’s anything my colleagues didn’t fill in for you, feel free to just ask me directly.” He gave L a charming smile, “I have nothing to hide.” 

L sighed quietly. _Dammit, how can he see through me so easily? Have I become predictable?_ “I-...you’re correct. I’m not sorry for my methods of gathering information, but I am sorry that it upset you and made you uncomfortable in the process,” he muttered, hesitating for a moment before lowering his hand. Immediately, he regretted that decision, Light’s smile making his heart skip a beat. _It’s no surprise he manipulates others so easily._ “I will keep that in mind for the future.”

Light only hummed in acknowledgement as he turned into a tiny café set against the cliff. There was only parking for a handful of cars, reflecting the size of the restaurant itself, and fewer eyes and ears was exactly what Light wanted right now. “This is it. Louis’ Café.” As soon as he cut the engine, the sounds of the ocean filled the air-- waves crashing against the cliffs below, seabirds calling to each other, wind rushing against rock. He paused as he got out of the car just to breathe in the salty air and turn towards the sunset. “Nothing fancy but the view really can’t be beat. We can sit outside if you don’t mind the wind.”

Lifting his head, L relaxed a bit as he got a good look at the restaurant. He had feared Light would take him to some high-class place without any food options he could enjoy, but a café had plenty of variation. He quickly unbuckled himself and climbed out of the car, taking a moment to smooth out his clothes. “No, sitting outside would be fine. How many times have you been here?” He walked around the car to join Light. Even if it was inane, the man’s taste in food and preferences in locations could still be useful information on how his mind works.

“Enough to get to know Louis.” Light grinned and waved at an older gentleman serving a table out on the patio. “He’ll make you whatever you want, as long as he has the ingredients for it.” He entered the café, bowing politely to Louis who bustled up to greet them.

“Bonjour Light! Glad to see you again.” Louis gestured to the patio as he grabbed some menus. “Your usual table? Any luck at cards lately?”

Light laughed and nodded, following Louis out to the patio. “Even more luck than usual, actually. Won a car a few nights ago.” He glanced at L with a sly smile, thinking about what else he’d won and _done_ over the weekend. “But here on business tonight.” He sat at the small table, glad to see there were very few other people around. 

“A car! Ça alors!” Louis handed them both their menus. He rattled off the specials and then left to give them a moment. 

_He knows the owner?_ L forced his frown away, but the growing anxiety lingered. _No, he wouldn’t do something risky in public. This is just his way of guaranteeing I don’t have any plants here. This is not an attempt on my life._ Sitting down across from Light, he pulled his knees up to his chest, shifting until he was comfortable. “What do you recommend?” He lifted the menu by pinching the corners with his index fingers and thumbs, glancing over the options.

Light watched L over his own menu, wondering about the man’s odd habits. _The way he sits, the way he touches things. How awkward yet self-assured he is._ It was somewhat impressive that the man hadn’t made up some excuse to dash off and call his minions, informing them of where he was so one of them could observe by telescope or something. “I usually get the Nicoise salad with tuna, but anything on the menu is good.” In truth, Light wasn’t very hungry. He’d accepted the invitation just to get L truly alone and in a place on his own terms. 

L shook his head slightly at the mention of tuna, a very faint grimace forming on his face. While he rarely ever ate meat, fish was something he absolutely refused to eat. _I need to find something that counts as “real food.” I don’t want to make things more awkward than they already are._

Light hesitated, watching L over his menu, and finally asked, “Out of curiosity...why is it that you sit like that?”

At Light’s question, L lowered the menu enough to watch him over the edge. “I have to.” He shifted, thankful the restaurant wasn’t too crowded. Normally, the eyes of others wouldn’t bother him, but being around the other man made him hyper-aware of everything wrong with himself. “If I sat in any other way, my deductive skills would be reduced by at least forty percent.” He set the menu down on the table.

“I see. Well, we all have our quirks.” Light bit back a quip about how much deductive ability the menu required since his goal wasn’t to make L feel more uncomfortable than he already appeared to be. He’d _meant_ to be nothing but charming since he’d seen L again, wanting to set him at ease so it would be easier to suss out the man’s intentions. He’d only been partially successful in that. 

Surprise flickered in L’s eyes as he looked Light over, searching for any signs of sarcasm or cruelty. Finding none, he lowered his gaze.

When Louis returned, Light handed back the menu, ordering his usual salad and some sparkling water. He wanted to keep a clear head, for now.

L closed the menu and held it out to the waiter. He ordered a fruit crepe and coffee, deciding that was “ordinary” enough to pass as a meal instead of pure dessert, unlike the cakes he had been eyeing on the dessert section of the menu. Once the waiter left, he returned his attention to Light. “Did you always want to go into law enforcement?” He arched a brow. “Or was this an extension of following your father’s path?”

“My father...yes, he mentioned he’d worked with you.” Light took a sip of his water, smiling slightly as he recalled Gilles’ story about his father punching L at the end of the Kira case. Of course, Soichiro had worked with Deneuve as well, although that had been less eventful. Had they even been the same person then? “Would you say _you_ ‘work in law enforcement’? Or that you solve puzzles and problems that interest you and have high stakes?” He gambled for the same reason-- he enjoyed the thrill and the risk. The career path was of less importance than how it made him feel, and there were few other jobs that would afford him the same freedom and mental challenge. “I suppose the ‘right’ answer is that I’m doing it for the same reason as my father. For _justice_.”

A faint shiver washed over L’s body. He could practically _feel_ the challenge in Light’s voice. _Yes, the previous Deneuve did work with his father...interesting that Yagami told his son that._ “I would argue that the answer that is morally ‘right’ is often not the answer that is _correct,_ don’t you agree?” He smiled, lifting his thumb to stroke his lower lip. “You’re correct. I enjoy solving cases because they challenge me. I would be painfully bored, otherwise- and I’m confident you can attest to that result for yourself.”

Light leaned forward, saying softly, “And have you been bored these past six years? Is that why you’re so convinced that Kira has returned when INTERPOL itself isn’t even sure?” He kept his gaze locked on L, lowering his voice even further. “Yes, I know who you really are. And I have a strong feeling you’ve never given up your suspicions about me after all this time.”

L’s smile curved into a grin as he nibbled on his thumb. “No, I have not. You’re just as intelligent as I expected you to be, too,” he purred, Light’s lowered tone sending his blood rushing south. “I’ve been _very_ bored, but that does not make my conclusion that Kira has returned any less correct.” He knew this was a risk, even acknowledging that he was L, but any added excitement to their game was welcome. “But this is hardly an appropriate conversation for a public dinner.”

“No? I was under the impression this is exactly what you wanted to talk about.” There was something satisfying about the knowledge that L had been bored after Kira’s disappearance from the world stage, that while Light had been in blissful ignorance after the notebook had burned up, L was tossing and turning at night in frustration. _Unable to accept his loss. STILL unable to._ That, plus the practical admission Deneuve _was_ L, made Light smile in a slightly malicious way, his fingers curling into a loose fist on the table. “But if this conversation is not to your liking, then you pick the topic.”

“Oh, I never said I don’t enjoy the conversation.” L leaned forward slightly, as much as his sitting position would allow. “Just that it isn’t appropriate. But that didn’t stop us before, did it..?” He licked his lips slowly, hoping he wasn’t reading things incorrectly. “Unless there’s something else you’d rather discuss.” He knew that _this_ was much more inappropriate, but being with Light had only left him wanting so much more.

“It might have stopped me, if I’d known what I was getting into.” Light’s eyes lidded slightly as he licked his lips. “ _Who_ I was getting into.” He met L’s gaze for a long moment before leaning back with a sigh and staring out to the sea. “Your methods have changed, detective. Become somewhat more crude, haven’t they?” There was actual indignation in his voice. “I am no more Kira than I was six years ago, but being your perpetual suspect does not give you the right to use me.” A muscle in his jaw twitched and he grit his teeth to quell it. “Not like _that_.”

L had to exercise a great deal of restraint to not roll his eyes as Light carried on the charade. He was no longer at an advantage, not really. They both knew the truth, but now Light was the only one with deniability. L had thrown all of his cards onto the table. He had nothing now. Shifting in his seat, he brought his hand up to his mouth, chewing on his thumb. “...I did not intend to use you, but I can understand that is how the situation played out.” He sighed quietly, shaking his head. _He seems genuinely offended, despite_ **_knowing_ ** _I’m right. Does that mean he-...he truly is_ **_interested_ ** _in me? Or is his pride wounded from being tricked?_ “Light, I know any apology I offer will sound disingenuous. I don’t regret our night together. My intentions with you had nothing to do with gaining ground in this case or catching you as Kira.”

Light stared at L sullenly, entertaining for a moment that what the man said was true. It was just as quickly dismissed. _L does everything for a reason. And L always lies._ “I don’t believe you, but it doesn’t matter.” He smiled, mentally shaking off the prickly sensations he felt before. “Keep your empty apologies, I don’t want those either.” He picked up his glass, watching the tiny bubbles of carbonation rise to the surface. “I just want to prove to you once and for all that I’m not who you think I am, and then perhaps you’ll leave me alone and let me live my life.” He took a long sip and set the glass back down. Of course, he had no illusions that L would ever let him do that-- if the detective could hold the torch for six years with zero clues, he’d probably never give up. Which was precisely why L had to die, as soon as Light could figure out _how_.

L’s lips twitched faintly in amusement. “Oh, you’re exactly who I think you are, Light.” He met his gaze, a hint of a smirk on his face. “It’s simply a matter of whether or not you’re a murderer to boot. That does not change who you are, what you do, or how you think.” His other hand rest on the table, idly tapping on the wood. “My suspicion of you does not impact my view of you as a person. I suspect you _because_ of who you are. If you are not Kira, as you claim, then you can surely understand why someone like yourself would be very _dangerous_ as him.”

“Someone like myself?” Light’s smile broadened and he couldn’t help but laugh. _He’s really got my number, or thinks he does._ “And who exactly do you think that is? Other than your obvious suspicion, of course.” His eyes sparkled with interest as he watched L carefully. After the years of surveillance and conspiring, hearing what L had concluded after all these years would be fascinating. 

“Adrien didn’t tell you what I said?” L’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, mischief lingering in them. “He didn’t seem to like it. He didn’t believe me, even if it’s right in front of him. You truly have him, and countless others at INTERPOL, wrapped around your finger, don’t you?” 

“Hmm, since when is being friendly and well-liked a crime?” Light smiled coyly, because he knew exactly what L meant. Of _course_ he had them all exactly where he wanted them, just like everyone else he’d ever met. “Adrien was...slightly vague about the particulars of your little chat.” Quieter, “And I’m no longer willing to do what it takes to make him an _honest_ man.”

Tilting his head, L looked the other man over, taking in his posture as he let his mind clear and stuffed down the thrill he felt knowing how insignificant Adrien had become to Light. “To state the obvious first, you’re brilliant, cunning, cutthroat. _Determined_. However, the less obvious...you’re a lot like myself. You work above the rest, you use others, you step over others. There are no opponents, no enemies. Only backs to force onto the ground and stand on to gain even the slightest advantage.” He met Light’s eyes, running his thumb along his lips. “You crave competition, but you don’t have a proper outlet.”

Light’s eyes widened slightly, surprised to hear both the flattery and the bluntness of L’s assessment. _Are we truly alike? Is that what he really thinks?_ He was silent for a moment before saying, “If you think we are the same, then you also know there _is_ no ‘proper’ outlet.” He reached into his jacket and took out his INTERPOL badge, flicking it onto the table. “This is as close as it gets. Your power is the same as mine-- getting other people to do what you want, or stopping them from doing what you _don’t_ want.” Light was supposed to be doing what INTERPOL wanted but they both knew the truth. Within a few short months, Light had planted his flag and ruled his kingdom within the institution. He grinned, adding, “Within the bounds of the law, of course. No mystical murders, I’m afraid.”

He paused as Louis bustled up to their table with their meals, setting them down and wishing them ‘bon appetit.’ “Thank you, Louis, looks delicious.” When they were alone again-- truly alone, since the last table on the patio was now empty--Light tilted his head and asked, “Is that what you’ve been missing these past six years? An outlet for your competitive nature?”

L lifted his fork, going silent for a moment as he cut into his crepe, dividing it up into pieces. He kept his eyes on the food, watching the fruit juices leak out and pool on the plate. “Yes, it is. If I were to put it crudely, as ‘Jon’ would, you ‘blue-balled’ me back then. That case was the first to interest me in almost a decade, and then, within two months-” He raised a hand, spreading his fingers outwards. “ _Poof_ , it was gone. Everything between then and now was beyond mediocre.” He lowered that hand back to his table, bringing a large piece of crepe to his mouth, eating it rather messily.

Light chuckled at the turn of phrase, it was amusingly incongruous with L’s dour demeanor. “So sorry that my innocence ruined your fun.” He picked up his fork, spearing his salad and bringing it up to nibble with a little smile. “At least I made it up to your...balls later, to be equally crude.” He giggled to himself, quite pleased to hear how frustrated L had been without Kira to puzzle over. “Although it’s unforgivable that you deprived me of the pleasure of knowing it was _L_ I had in such a compromising position.” _I would have enjoyed it so much more knowing that._ He hummed thoughtfully, twirling his fork in his salad. “Kira is despicable to you and you believed I was him.” He looked up at L with naked curiosity. “So why would you pursue me? Or was that part of _your_ thrill? Sleeping with suspects?”

“No, it wasn’t. You and Jon are the only people I’ve ever slept with.” L pushed a few pieces of fruit around on the plate, smushing the crepe into the juices. “Tell me, why exactly would knowing that I’m L have made it any better?” He lifted a brow, glancing up at Light’s face. “Why would that excite you any more than knowing I’m Deneuve? Or Eraldo Coil?” He saw no point in holding that secret close to his chest, Light would have figured it out on his own eventually. Pushing the soggy bits of food together, he traded the fork for a spoon, scooping it up and into his mouth. Juice dribbled down his chin and neck.

Light’s gaze flickered to L’s mouth, obscene thoughts springing to mind that made him blush slightly and look away. _Coil too?_ “Deneuve and Coil are nothing to me. Alastair was nothing to me. Another meaningless hookup to fill a few bored hours. But L...” He turned back to L, an intense look on his face. “That’s someone I never would have expected to be at my mercy. Frankly, it’s a good thing I didn’t know. For your sake.” How Light would have _loved_ to punish the man that had been trying to stop him for years through tricks and lies. But his conundrum was that if L wanted it, he’d be playing into the detective’s hands somehow if it happened again. His plan to get the detective to fall for him might be more complicated than he thought. “You didn’t answer my question though. Why pursue a man you hate?”

The spoon scraped against the plate as L’s hand jerked. Discomfort flickered across his face for the briefest moment, but he quickly pushed it down, instead scooping more fruit into his mouth. “...I never said I _hate_ you.” 

“You never said you _don’t_.” Light stared at L across the table, trying to assess truth from lies. The answer to this question was incredibly important to him.

“I wouldn’t be right here if I did. I find both you and your mind incredibly attractive. Kira or not, you’re one of the few people in this world that are on my level.” L held up his spoon, running his tongue along the base of the handle to lick up some of the juice. He was completely unaware of how lewd this looked, far more focused on enjoying his meal and avoiding saying anything humiliating. “I pursued you because I want you.”

“And it’s just that--” Light’s mind wandered as he caught sight of L’s pink tongue running along the spoon, momentarily losing his train of thought. _Shit..._ “It’s just that easy for you? You want something so you take it, consequences be damned?” _Well, that does sound like a familiar philosophy._ “Either you have little sense of self-preservation or you want me _much_ more than you’re letting on.” _Both, I bet_. He leaned forward with a challenging grin, “Actually, I think it’s worse.” He glanced around to make sure no one was listening and said, “I think it’s _Kira_ that makes you hard.” It was a gamble of an assumption but Light never shied from that.

L noted the way the other man abruptly paused, unable to pinpoint exactly why. Brushing that aside, he focused his attention back on what Light was saying. Immediately, he regretted that. His cheeks warmed and he swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he forced himself to meet the other’s gaze head-on. _He’s right. How did he get there so quickly? When did I give it away? Or is he just guessing? Mocking me?_ “...that’s a fascinating theory, Light. How do you expect to prove it?”

_Got him._ Light leaned back with a shrug, focusing back on his salad. “I don’t need to, it’s written all over your face.” He ate a bite then gave L a smug smile. “Plus, it would be perfectly boring and predictable if all you cared about was a pretty face. And L is neither of those, is he?”

“You’re correct.” L dropped his gaze back down to his plate, taking another bite. He frowned as a piece of fruit fell off of his spoon, landing on his arm. He lifted his arm to his mouth, licking up the fruit and then sucking the juice off of his skin. “That doesn’t disturb you?”

_Is he doing those distracting things on purpose?_ “Since I’m not Kira, it makes little difference to me.” Light didn’t sound completely indifferent; he sounded _excited_. “It seems inconvenient for you, though. You can only have one of the things you want. Kira behind bars, or Kira in your bed.” He clinked his fork on his empty plate, sitting back in his chair with his arms crossed. “I wonder which L would prefer.” 

“I believe you already surmised that.” L wet his lips, feeling himself getting excited all over again. The way Light was watching him, that look on his face- it was all riling him up quite a bit. “Though, from what I’ve gathered, I believe you might want _me_ behind bars _and_ in bed.” He chuckled quietly, knowing the other knew that he was aware that he’d overheard Adrien’s comment about the rope.

Light smiled slowly at L’s presumptiveness, mentally cursing Adrien’s loose lips. “You’d like that wouldn’t you? Being cuffed to my bed while I use you until you _ache_?” He wasn’t sure if he trusted himself to fuck L now, not while he could still feel his submerged fury bubbling under the surface. What if he slipped and actually hurt the man, was too rough? L would use that as an opportunity to nail him to the wall, no matter how much he said he _wanted_ Kira. 

L grunted softly, clenching and unclenching his fist as his mind wandered. Images of Light holding him down, his hands tight around his throat as he pounded him until he couldn’t tell what was making it harder for him to breathe. 

“Unfortunately, that’s impossible.” Light held up a finger to signal to Louis to bring the check. “I can’t be someone I’m not. Anyway, we need to keep things _professional_ , don’t we, detective?”

“Professional?” L frowned, cursing himself for letting Light get to him like this. He knew that, as soon as he got up, the other man would see how hard he was just from this conversation (and his thoughts). “I think we’ve already gone well past professional, Light. But if you don’t want that again, that’s up to you.” He shrugged, trying his best to pretend he wasn’t affected.

“I know it is.” It gave Light great pleasure to see L squirm, disappointed and denied. _Frustration is a good look on you, L._ Light wasn’t going to give L what he wanted again so easily, even if he wanted the same thing just as badly. He stood up when Louis brought the check, sliding it across the table to L. “Thank you so much for dinner, Alastair. I’ll meet you at the car.” He smiled and looked pointedly at L’s crotch. _I knew it_. “When you’re ready.” He turned and walked into the café with Louis, chit-chatting about nothing of importance.

Gritting his teeth, L snatched up the check, taking out his card and taking both up to the host. He couldn’t focus like this, not right now. Once the meal was paid for, he hurried to the restroom, locking the door behind him. Embarrassingly enough, it didn’t take very long for him to “relieve” himself. He quickly cleaned himself up after, rushing out of the restaurant and to the car. He refused to meet Light’s eyes when he climbed inside, feeling as if the man would know for certain what he’d just done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, we're going to be switching to a posting schedule of every other week. Mikalight week is coming up ( https://mikalightweek.tumblr.com/ ), so ZJ and I will be a little too busy to keep up with weekly updates! Posting will get back to normal after, though. Thanks for reading!
> 
> -Resilicns


	13. Flop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L comes home to Wedy and Aiber in a huff, and makes a few questionable decisions.

Aiber and Wedy were waiting up for L to get back, playing some cards with ‘Casablanca’ on in the background. Wedy was checking her phone every few minutes and she’d felt on edge the whole night. L hadn’t told them where he was going but it wasn’t their hotel or the casino-- she’d checked both. “It’s nine o’clock. He should be back by now.”

“Eh, maybe he got lucky?” Aiber chuckled as he arranged his cards. “You know he’d call if he needed us.”

Wedy grumbled, “What, you think Kira’s going to give him that opportunity? Yeah, I’m sure he’ll hold off murdering long enough for L to shoot us a text.”

L stormed into the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Fury could practically be seen rolling off of him in waves. “That- that fucking- how could he- _‘professional’_ he says- full of shit- _AGH_!” He gripped his hair briefly before punching the door frame.

Aiber and Wedy exchanged a look before Wedy sighed and reached for her cigarettes. “You talk to him.”

Aiber got up tentatively, giving L a wary smile. “How was dinner? Eh...scratch that.” It was obvious that _something_ had gone wrong. He ran a hand through his hair as he looked around, eyes settling on the bar. A drink always helped with _his_ problems. “How about I make you a drink and you tell me what happened, ok?”

“Please.” L sighed, walking over to the bar and sitting on the stool. He wrapped his arms around himself, resting his forehead on the bar. “He-...he’s so frustrating to speak to. He’s actively _teasing_ me, but he’s also giving me such mixed signals…”

“Hmm, teasing is a good sign though, right?” Aiber sidled behind the bar, pulling out a few bottles of sweet but _strong_ liquor to make something with a real kick (that L wouldn’t taste). “He hasn’t killed you yet, so there’s that.”

Wedy snorted, smoke billowing from her nostrils like a dragon. “Wow, Aiber, you’re brimming with great advice.”

Aiber pointed a bottle at Wedy, “Watch out or I’m making you a drink, too.” He grinned as he added booze to a shaker, mixing it up and pouring the pink concoction into a martini glass. He set the glass in front of L, adding a couple of cherries. “There. The solution to your problems in liquid form.”

Lifting his head, L stared at the glass, letting out a heavy sigh. “He knows I’m L, he knows that I know he’s Kira, but he’s maintaining the bluff.” He reached out, taking the glass and bringing it to his lips. Taking a gulp, he set his head back down on the bar. “Said he wants to keep it ‘professional’ right after basically telling me he wants it too.”

Wedy sat up straight, ash dangling from her cigarette. “He KNOWS you’re L?! How??”

Aiber let out a low whistle and poured himself some vodka on ice. “Important question is why he suddenly wants to be professional.”

“That is _not_ the--”

“Shhhh. Wedy, please.” Aiber walked the vodka over to Wedy and stuck it in her hand. “One problem at a time.” He went back to the bar, patting L on the back before making another vodka. “Maybe he just needs a little time to cool off.”

“He figured it out himself. I don’t know _exactly_ how, but I saw no point in denying it. It makes no difference whether I’m L or Deneuve to him. If anything-” L’s face warmed. “...he implied that knowing who I am _excites_ him.” He sat up again, grabbing his drink and chugging the rest of it down. He ignored the burning sensation, holding the glass out to Aiber. “More.”

“Uh huh,” Aiber grinned as he took L’s empty glass. “Sounds pretty promising to me. Probably just playing hard to get.” He whipped up another drink, making it even boozier than the first. “You wounded his pride and now he wants to let you twist in the wind a little.”

“So he’s just as immature as the two of you?” Wedy knocked back her drink. “Just perfect.” She hoped that Light would stick to his statement about keeping things professional but doubted it. 

L nodded slowly, grabbing the drink and sipping on it for a moment before turning to look at Wedy. “Could you do me a favor? I need the identities of the patrons that were at the casino while the three of us were there, and also all announced criminals that were broadcast on television while I was with Light that night. I believe they will be a potential pool of victims for him.” Gripping the glass, he took another gulp, already starting to feel it.

“Oh, we're still doing real work?” Wedy laughed quietly and stabbed out her cigarette. “Sure thing. Might take a bit of digging but we have the surveillance feed from the casino.” She stood up and headed to her room, stopping in the doorway to give L and Aiber a stern look. “Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

“We’d _never_ , Wedy. Be on our best behavior.” Aiber smiled and held a hand over his heart until she was gone. He snickered and said quietly to L, “So what was it you wanted to tell me that you didn’t want her to hear?”

“Nothing she can’t hear, I just felt she didn’t want to listen to this,” L mumbled, his smile fading. “I-...I still want him. Badly. I know he’s messing with me- but it’s _working_ and I don’t know what to do.” His eyes began to sting as he drained more of the glass.

Aiber drummed his fingers on the bar and took a long sip of his drink. “You toyed with him and I guess he’s pissed off, so...might try making it up to him somehow? Guess what he really wants is for you to call off the case and I _know_ you aren’t going to do that, but there’s got to be something else.”

“Something...else..?” L furrowed his brows, idly tipping his glass from side to side, watching the liquid move around inside. “...do you have any ideas? I’m not very...experienced or creative in romantic issues.” He made a face, finishing off the glass and holding it out to Aiber. His eyes were visibly unfocused.

“Mmm, you’re going to have to figure that one out yourself. You’ve spent the last few years watching him, haven’t you? Got to have some clue what he wants.” Aiber held up L’s empty glass, impressed the man had downed two so quickly. “I’ll make you one more, for...brain fuel, heh.” He made the third drink a little lighter since L looked like he was already feeling pretty buzzed. “Here ya go. Feeling any better?”

A thoughtful look formed in L’s eyes as he accepted the glass. “Hmm...yes, I think I do have an idea.” He took a sip from the drink, mulling it over for a few seconds before speaking again. “Do you know what quality of rope would be used in the bedroom? For restraint, correct?”

\----

The first thing Light did when he got back to his suite was pour himself a stiff drink, because he felt like a _wreck_. Despite his anger at L, it had taken all his willpower not to grab the man by his coat, shove him into the men’s room, and pound him against the probably filthy wall. Even now, he was regretting the decision to turn L’s offer of _more_ down, wavering between sticking to his guns and calling him. _Fuck!_ He paced the living room, knocking back his scotch in one gulp, going over each word of their conversation in his mind in case he missed any hint, any innuendo. 

He’d been so engrossed at dinner that he only now realized that Ryuk hadn’t been there. Stopping in his tracks, he looked around. “Ryuk? Where are you?”

“Heh, miss me?” The shinigami flew through the windowpane, materializing on the dinner table. 

“Yes-- no, I mean…” Light sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and taking a few breaths to get his mental footing. _How can he make me so flustered? This isn’t like me at all._ “I just didn’t see you at dinner. I assumed you’d be there watching.” He went to retrieve the Death Note from its temporary hiding place in a secret pocket of his suitcase, tearing off a little corner piece.

“Oh I was, just figured you’d want a little uh, fake privacy with loverboy.” Ryuk cackled and made a kissy-face. “I checked for bugs and skedaddled. See, I told ya I’d be good.”

“I suppose you can be on occasion.” Light smiled in thanks, tossing a few apples to Ryuk before pouring himself another drink. He felt so on edge that even the clink of the bottle on his glass made him flinch. “He _admitted_ he was L. Right there at dinner.” He sighed and stared down at the piece of the Death Note, swallowing it down out of the habit it had become. Despite not _feeling_ any different, really, some part of himself was convinced his theory was correct if he just kept going.

“Guess there’s no point hidin’ who he is now.” Ryuk lounged on the table, fluffing out his wings as he downed the first apple. “Probably knew you’d figure it out. Seems to have a pretty high opinion of ya, actually.” He thumped an inky finger against his skull. “‘Specially your brain.”

“Huh?” Light slumped down into one of the dining chairs, looking up at Ryuk with his chin in his hand. “Ryuk, he’s trying to _kill_ me.”

“Eh, mebbe. Kinda butterin’ you up though, too. Oooo Kira’s so brilliant, he’s so hot, yadda yadda, hyuk hyuk.” Ryuk flashed his shark-like grin, teeth speckled with apple bits. “Just sayin’ I’d rather have a smitten detective on my heels if I were you.” He poked in Light’s direction. “Better than some old fart like you though Deneuve was, ain’t it?”

“Hmm.” Light twirled a finger in his whisky, slowly smiling to himself. “That’s true. But he’s so... _infuriatingly_ brazen. First it was all lies and sneaking and now he just acts like he’s telling me everything. Admitting that he _wants_ Kira?” He took a long sip, draining the glass. “Who am I kidding? He’s still lying and sneaking. This is _L_ we’re talking about. There’s no way he could actually want Kira.”

“Ain’t lying about havin’ a thing for ya. Still got that picture?” When Light nodded and took it out of his coat, Ryuk said, “There’s a board up in his room, behind a curtain. Like some kinda sick shrine, heh. Check it out if, uh, you ever get in there.” Ryuk’s gaze focused on Light as the human stared at the picture. _Something’s different about you....can’t put my talon on it._ He wasn’t much for new-age shenanigans but if he had to say, it was like Light had a totally different _aura_ surrounding him. _Maybe just my imagination, but something to watch._

Light’s eyes widened at the photograph, suddenly filled with curiosity about what else L had on that board. “You bet I’ll check.” He stood up and went to grab the bottle of scotch, intending to get plastered. “But not tonight. Maybe not _ever_. I just...I feel like a fool that I wasn’t more careful. I hate feeling that way. He got me... _again_.” He tipped up the bottle to his mouth, an uncouth move that he’d _never_ let anyone see him do in public. He muttered, “Hate that I _liked_ it so much.”

L stumbled out of the elevator and into the hallway, grabbing at the wall to regain his balance. His face was flushed as he clutched a bundle of silky rope in his hands. Wetting his lips nervously, he made his way over to the door to Light’s suite, taking careful steps. He hesitated for only a moment, the very muffled voice of reason in the back of his mind begging him to stop and think. Shoving that voice aside, he knocked on the door. “Light? Are you awake?” His speech was audibly slurred.

Light blinked and looked at the door. “Ryuk, I’m hearing things.” He snorted and held up the now mostly-empty bottle. “Pfft, guess I’m already drunk.” His head was spinning pleasantly, but it was also harder to get L out of his mind now. 

Ryuk cackled and shook his head. “Uh uh, somebody’s really there, buddy. Lemme see.” He zipped through the door to take a peek. _Oho!_ Zooming back to Light, he whispered, “Better go see for yourself, hyuk hyuk. See ya!” He shot through the ceiling with a little wave.

“Wait- hey! Where are you--dammit.” Light frowned and stood up, going to the door and leaning heavily on it. “Who’s there? Adrien if that’s you, I already told you to fuck the hell off.”

_Adrien..? Who’s-..? Oh, that nuisance on the team...budget Matsuda…_ L snorted quietly at his own thoughts, grinning as he held onto the door frame. “No, it’s not Adrien.” Mischief bubbled up inside of him. “Guess who it is, or you could just let me in…” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, finding that the pajamas he now wore (consisting only of his typical white shirt with sweatpants instead of jeans) were feeling incredibly hot and stuffy.

Light looked through the peephole, gasping softly when he saw a pair of dark-rimmed eyes staring back at him. _Shit!!_ He hesitated a moment before taking a deep breath and opening the door a crack. He tried to act as sober as possible, but his pupils were dilated and his usually perfect hair was slightly mussed. “Alastair...it’s, uh, not the best time.”

L was growing impatient with waiting, starting to lean his weight on the door. In that same moment, the door was opened. He immediately lost his balance, falling forward and shoving the door open in the process. Landing flat on his face, half of his body on each side of the threshold, he groaned. While the impact itself didn’t hurt as much as he’d expect it to, his head was spinning now. “Bloody hell...where’d the door go..?” He turned his head so that his cheek was against the floor instead of his nose. 

“What the…” Light took a shaky step back, barely holding back his laughter as he crouched down beside L. “You alright? Wait…are you..?” He took in L’s wide pupils and the distinct smell of alcohol on the man’s breath. “Drunk?!” _Guess we had the same idea tonight._ His own speech was thick as he extended a hand to L, “Come on, get up and I’ll help you back to your room.”

“No- no I’m not-...” L made a face, pushing at the ground to sit up a bit before taking Light’s hand. “ ‘m not drunk, didn’t even have that much.” At the mention of going back to his room, the man shook his head- and then immediately lifted his other hand to rest against it as the room rocked back and forth. “I came here to-...wanted to-...” He blinked slowly, struggling to form a proper sentence. As if it would explain things any better, he held the rope out to Light. “Wanted to ‘pologize…”

Light looked down at the rope in confusion, “You wanted to apologize with...some rope?” He took a deep breath and hauled L to his feet, leaning the man against the wall so at least they weren’t making a scene in the hotel hallway. “That’s... very generous. Thanks?” He dug in his pocket for his cell phone. “I’ll just, um, call Jon, have him come get you.”

L chuckled, waving his hand at the other. “No, no..! Not with just the rope!” He braced himself against the wall for a moment before taking a step forward. Resting his hands on Light’s shoulders, he grinned. “I was a stuffy prick at dinner...should’ve been more, more…” He trailed off briefly, losing his train of thought for only a few seconds. “More empathetic. So I came here to apologize.” He tightened his grip slightly, licking his lips. “With my body.”

Light’s eyes widened, lips parting as he realized what _exactly_ L was offering. _Did that ass Adrien tell him I liked--?_ He looked down at the rope again, heart starting to race as his mind filled with images of how he could put that to good use. _No...no no no, bad idea_. Drinking always lowered his inhibitions and he’d had a lot more alcohol than usual. “No...I couldn’t. You’re...too drunk and, hell, I’m pretty drunk, too.” Light bit his lip and looked away, gently extricating himself from L’s hands. _I don’t trust myself, now that I know who you are._ “It’s a bad idea.”

An audible whine escaped L’s throat as he leaned after Light, trying to continue holding onto his shoulders. “Nonononono...I’ve been _thinking_ about it- and I’m very intelligent- this is actually a really _good_ idea.” He was speaking in a hushed tone now, as if trying to keep his voice down to hide their conversation from others- despite there being no one to hide the conversation from. “I know you want me, and you know I want you, so why not just go for it? Have some fun?” He grinned again, struggling to maintain eye contact. “I don’t want to hurt you, Light, ‘s’why I’m here. I just want to be your _slut_ ,” he whispered, fondly recalling the last time they were intimate. 

Light couldn’t hide his amused smile, or the faint shiver that went through him hearing L state what he wanted so bluntly. “You know it's a terrible idea.” He just stared at L for a moment then shut the door with his foot, leaving them in the near dark when the light from the hall was obscured. “And I can’t tell if the alcohol has made you more of a liar or less of one.” He searched L’s face, leaning in closer until L’s back was against the wall and they were nearly chest to chest. “Is this another trick? Some ploy to find evidence on me? Get me vulnerable?” He bent his neck, smelling something new and exciting on the man’s skin. _Arousal._ He knew it as surely as he knew his own name, but how? “You made me look like a fool and that’s not a position I like to be in.”

L eagerly tilted his head to expose his neck to the other, assuming his lips would be there soon. Being pressed against the wall by Light _again_ was making him tent his sweatpants. “N-not a trick...I just-..!” The red in his face grew more intense as his last semblance of shame reared its head. “...I want you...badly. Had to- had to touch myself in the bathroom at that restaurant…” He whined quietly, pushing his hips forward as he sought Light out. “Wanted you to come after me...push me against the mirror and take me right there.” His breaths were coming faster as his excitement grew. 

Light let out a soft breath, his fingers clenching against the wall. Words spilled out before he could stop them. “I almost did. And I _knew_ what you were doing.” He smiled deviously as he met L’s eyes again, his messy hair falling in his face. “But I don’t trust myself to touch you.” He licked his lips and said softer, “Not _now_.” It wasn’t any kind of real admission-- hell, he could be referring to the alcohol, but they both would know he wasn’t. “We’ll end up hurting each other no matter what we do.”

Just making eye contact with Light while the man looked so sultry was enough to make L moan breathlessly. His lips remained parted as he stared back at him, struggling to come up with the right things to say to get into his suspect’s bed. “If we’ll hurt each other no matter what...why not have fun with it?” He squirmed, as if trying to tempt the man to pin him there properly. “It won’t make it any more complicated than it already is...please, Light.” His voice shifted into a whine. “I’ll beg...is that what you want..? Do you want to hear L begging for your cock?” Such filth had never fallen from his lips before, and it was a stretch to say he’d ever thought of anything of this caliber. However, in his current state, there was a direct connection from his brain to his mouth, no filter whatsoever. 

Light’s eyes fluttered shut as he whispered a soft curse. “ _Yes_ …” How many times had he fantasized about having L at his complete mercy? Admittedly, Light was usually _killing_ the detective but he hadn’t anticipated how _hot_ the idea of fucking his enemy made him. He was panting quietly, getting hard in his slacks as he tried to maintain self-control while feeling it slipping away. “Fuck _yes_ , I want to hear that.” He pressed his hips against L’s, opening his eyes to stare at the man when he felt hardness. _It’s not just my cock you want but Kira’s_. He held that thought back, barely, not understanding how it could be true. But here L was, debasing himself despite his suspicions, and whether or not this was a trick or a bad idea was mattering less and less to Light. 

Bliss washed over L when Light finally pushed into him. He rolled his hips against the other man’s shamelessly, grinding on his thigh. “P-please… _Fuck, please_ just-..!” He bit his lip, his eyes starting to glisten as the desperation he felt became more overwhelming by the second. “Light, please, take me...I need it- I need you! I-..!” He broke off into a soft whimper as he found the perfect angle to rub against him with. “T-tie me up, use me like a toy, use _L_ like a cheap toy..!” Just thinking about it was creating a wet spot on the front of his sweatpants- since he wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

_I’ve won!_ And just like that, Light’s resolve broke completely, his breath coming hard as he pushed his hands up under L’s shirt. “L wants to be _my_ toy…” He laughed against L’s neck, tasting the man’s skin and savoring it. _Unmistakable._ “But he is not cheap.” He ground his hips against L’s, feeling wetness bleeding through the thin fabric. The fact that L had come to him like _this,_ a drunk, needy mess, made him even more excited. Capturing the attention of the greatest detective in the world stroked his ego, but making that detective _beg_ lit a fire far deeper. “We’re the same, you said it yourself.” He leaned back, pulling L’s shirt over his head as he did. “Kira is your prize…” He grabbed L’s wrist, dragging him towards the bed. “And L is _mine_.”

_Is that a confession?_ A faint voice in the back of L’s mind asked. He promptly told that voice to go fuck itself, eagerly stumbling after the man. Goosebumps lingered on his skin where Light’s hands had just been. Hearing the other call him _his_ only sent him spiraling further. He wasn’t even capable of the same filth anymore, whimpering “please” and “yes” over and over as he followed Light. His mind was almost frantically conjuring image after image of what Light might do to him on that bed, and he couldn’t decide which one was more enticing. 

Light pushed L against the bed then uncoiled the rope in his hands, stopping to look down at it. He recognized the feel-- this wasn’t rough regular rope, but definitely made for use in the bedroom. What if L had used this with someone else? Something about that made him feel slightly jealous. “Is this what you let Jon do to you?” _Why do I even care?!_ The alcohol was definitely affecting his usually perfect social filter. He wanted to feel special, that he was something more to L than a warm body. “What _is_ he to you?”

L fell back onto the bed without hesitation, staring up at Light with hungry eyes. He had no way of knowing how wrecked he already looked, his face red and his hair messy. At Light’s question, however, his grin faded as confusion took its place. “Jon..? Oh-!” He blinked, assuming Light was asking if the rope was _used._ “It’s- I’m borrowing it from him. I’ve never-...” He bit his lip, squirming. “I’ve never done something like this before. It’s clean.” His confusion only grew as he took on the second question. He couldn’t understand why Light was asking that, unsure of what the man had to gain from it. “Jon...he’s my friend and employee. One of my only friends. He helps me with ‘stress relief,’ but that’s all.” He paused, forcing himself to meet Light’s gaze. “He-...he’s been helping me relieve my frustrations over you. Teaching me things for you,” he admitted, lifting his hips briefly to try and tempt the other.

Light arched a brow in surprise, he hadn’t been expecting _that_ answer but it pleased him immensely. “Teaching you?” He smirked and crawled onto the bed towards L, dropping the rope to trace his thumb across L’s bottom lip. “Like what you did with your mouth the other night? Finding out you had no gag reflex?” His finger slipped between L’s lips to stroke the man’s soft tongue, making his cock throb. _I can’t believe I didn’t know it was you._ He said softly, “I find your mouth very distracting. What you were doing at dinner... _teasing_ me...I wanted to tell you to get under the table and suck me off right there.”

Shivering at his touch, L’s eyelids fluttered. He rubbed his tongue against Light’s thumb, finding the feeling and pressure to be extremely erotic. He was slowly losing himself to the sensations, but Light’s comment about teasing dragged him back in. Briefly, he considered not even addressing it, content to just keep the man’s finger in his mouth. Instead, he turned his head, freeing his mouth so he could speak. “I don’t understand. I wasn’t trying to tease you, but I’m not dissatisfied with the results,” he murmured, spreading his legs slightly for him. “Under the table, though...not a bad idea…” He grinned, praying he could remember that suggestion for the future. “Would you have kept it together?”

_Probably not._ “Try it sometime and we’ll see.” Light pressed his palm against L’s chest, pushing him flat on his back. “Last chance to back out of this. I can’t promise I’ll...” His eyes flashed, appearing to briefly glow in the dim room in an otherworldly way, glittering purple as if an ultraviolet light were shining directly on them and them alone. “...be _normal_.” He could feel L’s heart beating beneath his hand, the warmth of the man’s skin prickling like electricity. All of his senses felt sharpened, heightened somehow. He picked up the rope beside them, not breaking eye contact. “Otherwise give me your wrists.”

L whined quietly, the feeling of Light pushing him down making him almost painfully hard. Something about the other man, in this moment, seemed almost godlike. His eyes looked... _off_ , but L brushed that aside as a reflection of some light source in the room. He squirmed under Light, trying to tempt him into pinning and restraining him further. Everything about this situation was so, so wrong- and L loved it. He kept his eyes on the other, desperate to burn every second of this into his memory. “I’m counting on it,” he whispered, holding his wrists out.

  
  



	14. No Limit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L lays all his cards on the table. Light is _thrilled_.

Light stared down at L with open lust, burning this image of outstretched wrists in his mind. _L, giving up control to ME, willingly!_ “What a delicious sight.” He straddled L’s body, settling right on the man’s cock as he quickly bound those thin wrists together tightly and yanked them above L’s head. “It’s a wonder you aren’t afraid of me if you _really_ believe I’m...Kira.” He whispered the last word with a slight smirk, lacing the rope through the headboard and pulling it taut. “Or is the fear what gets you off?” 

L didn’t even bother holding back the breathy sigh he made when he pressed his hips up into Light’s, needy and desperate for friction. He whined at the lost contact, barely registering what the other was saying through the lusty haze. The whisper of “Kira” made him shudder and squirm. _Is it the fear..? No, I’d have him just as eagerly without it. It’s just him._

Leaning over to tie the knot placed Light’s crotch directly in L’s face and he couldn’t resist pressing forward, rubbing his clothed erection against L’s mouth. He gave the knot a good tug to test it and satisfied it would hold, slinked down L’s body, groping and biting the pale flesh excitedly. He paused at L’s hip to look up at the man through long lashes, murmuring against his skin, “You _do_ realize that I’m absolutely _furious_ with you, don’t you?” 

L didn’t even hesitate to open his mouth and lick the cloth that was pressed into his face, applying pressure in hopes of Light feeling it. Part of him regretted letting himself be tied up, exclusively because, now, he couldn’t grab at Light as he made his way down. “Furious?” He repeated, licking his lips. “Then...I suppose it’s your right to _punish_ _me_ for what I’ve done…”

“Mmhmm.” Light closed his eyes and sucked a bright bruise on L’s hipbone before sitting up and slowly unbuttoning his shirt, shrugging it off. “If I _really_ wanted to punish you I wouldn’t even fuck you. Since that’s what you want so badly.” He gave L a sly grin, hooking his fingers in the waistband of the man’s pants to yank them away roughly. He hummed at how _hard_ L was, licking his lips. “I’d leave you right where you are, jack off all over your face and not even touch you.” He slid off the bed to get out of his pants, then pounced on top of L to pin the man’s body beneath his own, skin to skin. Getting right in L’s face, he taunted, “Or maybe you’d like that? L does have sick tastes.” He pressed his mouth to L’s neck, licking up to his ear to bite and suck it. He rocked his hips against L, shuddering at the slick slide of L’s wet cock against his own, and whispered, “So do I.” 

Just hearing Light suggest leaving him there without touching him was enough to make L whimper. He felt more vulnerable now, nude before the other, than he had in their first time. Imagining Light using him as masturbation material and making him filthy was the stuff of dreams. “Y-yes, yes I would,” he choked out, tempted to beg Light to do that and then fuck him anyway. “I-...I’ve wanted you for so long- wanted _this._ Letting you have your way with me.” Biting his lip, he moved his hips against Light’s in return, matching his pace and rhythm. “Make L yours.”

“You’re already mine, aren’t you?” Every word L spoke was turning Light on more and more, and the mental image of his enemy’s face filthy with his cum...he couldn’t resist making that a reality. “Seems like you have been for years, and I never even knew.” He sat up and straddled L’s chest, his cock almost, but not _quite,_ within licking distance. He grinned and held out his hand under L’s mouth. _“Spit._ ”

L’s face warmed with embarrassment, but the idea was far too tempting to refuse. He hesitated for only a moment before leaning his head forward and drooling into Light’s hand. He knew what the other was planning, and wanted to provide plenty of lubricant. Plus, the thought of seeing Light stroke himself wet with his saliva had him squirming slightly under the other. “As always, your intuition is impeccable,” he murmured, a soft smirk curving his lips. 

Light’s eyes lidded as he gripped his cock and started to stroke, lips parting to let out a soft moan. He started off slow and teasing, keeping his cock right in front of L’s face so he could _see_ everything he was unable to touch. “I thought about you, too. About _Alastair_ .” He gazed down at L with unfocused eyes and sped his slick strokes. His breath was coming faster as the pleasure built, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to last very long the first time. He whispered hoarsely, “About what a good slut he was. So eager to please me.” It was true-- he’d touched himself several times thinking about Sunday night. Light’s lip curled as he said mockingly, “At least I know _that_ part of the encounter wasn’t a lie.” That flash of anger made his cock visibly throb and he moaned softly, twisting his hand around the swollen head.

Soft whines escaped L’s lips as he watched Light stroke himself. _He touched himself and thought of me..? Is that what he’s saying? Or am I reading too much into things? ...fuck, he looks beautiful like this._ He knew it was wrong to be so turned on by being in such a humiliating position under his suspect- no, under _Kira._ However, it was wrong in the most delicious way. Deciding to test his luck, he shifted and lifted his head as much as he could, ignoring the discomfort in his shoulders. He parted his lips, sliding his tongue out and straining until the tip of it touched Light’s cockhead.

“Ah!” Light gasped in surprise at the shock of pleasure from L’s tongue, but even _better_ was the completely lewd picture L made, an aroused mess desperately straining for some contact. He pulled his cock back and leaned closer to hold L’s head down, fisting the man’s hair tightly. He grinned and said, “So impatient. I thought you wanted me to _punish_ you? It was your suggestion after all.” He tilted his head and hummed, staring at L’s mouth as if considering what to do. “Hmmm. But why deny myself?” Mind made up, he slid his hand behind L’s head to tilt it forward and shifted his hips to press into the man’s mouth. He immediately sucked in a harsh breath as he was enveloped in wet warmth, watching L’s eyes intently and shallowly thrusting. “ _Fuck…_ ” It felt just as good as he remembered from their first encounter, his excitement only heightened from the repeated reel in his head- _it’s L, it’s L, it’s HIM._

The look in Light’s eyes sent chills across L’s body. He didn’t resist the pushing and pulling at all, opening his mouth further for the man without pausing to think about the consequences. His eyelids fluttered as he relished the feeling of the other man’s cock rubbing against his tongue, the _taste_ that was uniquely “Light.” He moaned around him, letting him know he was enjoying all of this- despite that already being painfully obvious from his body’s responses. He relaxed his throat and began sucking gently, maintaining eye contact. The reality of the situation was almost overwhelming: Kira fucking his mouth, knowing he’s L, and staring down at him the entire time. 

Light tensed as he felt his orgasm approaching quickly, muscles twitching as he thrust deeper. It was _so_ tempting just to keep this up, to shoot down L’s throat and make him _choke_ on it. But no, he desperately needed to see the results, to make L as filthy as possible. _It’s what he deserves for defying me!_ His face crumpled as he moaned a warning, “Shut your _eyes_!” He released L’s hair and pulled his cock back with a wet ‘pop,’ stroking himself wildly as he unloaded all over L’s face, chest, and hair. 

L closed his eyes obediently, having only the wet sounds of skin on skin for a brief moment. He jolted in surprise at the feeling of wetness hitting his face. With his lips still parted, some dripped into his mouth. 

Light couldn’t help from smiling, almost _laughing,_ as he came. It was such a thrilling, beautiful sight-- the detective that had tried again and again to catch Kira, painted with Kira’s cum. _Perfection._

L licked his lips, waiting until he was sure Light was finished before opening his eyes. Luckily, none of it landed close enough to his eyelids to cause any problems. “Did you enjoy that, Light?” He whispered, staring intensely up at the man. “Do you want more?” He was almost painfully hard at this point, knowing he wouldn’t last at all for whatever Light decided to do. Part of him had worried he would climax just from this, but he seemed to have enough restraint to not sink that low.

Light shuddered as the last waves of pleasure receded, panting heavily as he met L’s stare. For a moment, all he could do was nod with a blissful and smug expression, but after a few deep inhales he breathed out, “Of _course_ I want more. Clean me up first.” He pressed his messy fingers into L’s mouth to be licked clean, one at a time, making no effort to clean _L_ up. He liked the look of it too much and could barely tear his eyes away. _Damn, I HAVE to take a picture of this._ While L wasn’t looking, he reached over to the nightstand for his phone, snapping a quick sneaky photo of L’s filthy face. 

L was far too distracted by sucking and licking Light’s fingers clean to notice his picture being taken. He took his time, rubbing his tongue against each digit, grunting quietly. Everything was too much, but also just enough. It was perfect. After a few more seconds, he let go of Light’s fingers, his mouth staying open as he panted. No coherent, rational thoughts were in his head. He was too far gone, in a state where he was far more likely to act on sudden impulses. “Then take it,” he purred, biting his lower lip. “Take _me_.” It was a lame attempt at seduction, and he didn’t have the excuse of his inebriation, either, as this was hardly different from his normal social abilities. 

Light was hard again by the time L finished with the last finger, feeling more excited than ever. He grabbed the lube from the nightstand (putting his phone back furtively), but hesitated as he picked up a condom. _I’ve never fucked anyone bare before but...I want to with him._ He gave L a wicked grin, “No...I want you to _feel_ me tonight.” He tossed the condom away and moved between L’s legs, pushing them apart. “Unless you have any objections.” He laughed as he slicked his fingers because he was doing it either way.

Watching Light, L felt an odd thrill seeing the man toss the condom aside. He’d never had anyone inside him without one, and he knew what this meant. _It’s like he’s claiming me. He wants to leave evidence_ **_inside_ ** _me._ He squirmed, shivering as he felt the rope tugging on his wrists. It took a bit of effort and shifting, but he managed to lift his legs and tilt his hips, baring himself even further before the other. “Can’t say I do. I find it unsurprising that we seem to be on the same level mentally, even here.” Wetting his lips, he lifted his head, wanting to _watch_ it happen. 

Light circled L’s entrance with a lubed finger, meeting the man’s gaze as he slowly slipped it inside. “That’s a rare thing, isn’t it? I’ve never known anyone like me before.” This felt so much more intimate now that they both _knew_ the truth, even if Light would deny it with his last breath. He hooked his finger to press against L’s swollen prostate, rubbing it in slow circles until he could feel L’s muscles relaxing. “Your body doesn’t fight me at all.” He smirked and added, “Unlike the rest of you.” Light’s fears that this was some kind of trap had faded, but he was still left with the puzzle of _why_ L was attracted to something he swore to defeat. _Probably for the same reason I am -- the thrill of it, our similarity?_ He added another finger and twisted them, opening L more insistently. “Someone as rich as you are could have anyone but you’ve only been with two people. Why?” 

L’s breath hitched as he tried to relax his body. That became much easier in an instant. He rolled his hips faintly against Light’s hand, lust clouding his gaze as his eyelids drooped. “The first was _because_ of you, as you’ve occupied my mind the entire time,” he mumbled, already feeling his release building up inside. “Anyone else would be f- _ah-_ ...far too boring.” He jolted from the increased pressure, moaning lowly. He hadn’t really expected Light to actually be thorough with preparation this time, but he was pleasantly surprised. He didn’t want to admit how close he was, but his body gave it away. 

Light was really getting off on all of L’s reactions, the noises the man was making. His gaze roved over L’s sticky, messy body and settled right on the man’s leaking cock, making him absently lick his lips. He pressed another finger inside, saying half to himself, “I wonder how L _tastes_ …” Shifting to bend over L’s body, he spared a glance up before leaning to lick a long stripe up the man’s cock, humming with the surprisingly _sweet_ taste. “Mmm... _good_.” He licked up the side, thrusting his fingers deeper and faster to try to push L over the edge.

“L-Light- I’m-!” L clenched his fists, his back arching up off of the bed as he moaned. Just seeing Light’s _tongue_ on him was enough. He came hard, making his stomach and chest almost as filthy as his face. He looked to be in a state of pure bliss, a dazed grin curving his lips as he lifted his head slightly to look back down at Light. “A-... amazing,” he whispered, wanting so desperately to touch and hold the other.

Light smirked and licked him a few more times before slowly sitting back up to survey the results. “I wish you could see yourself right now.” He laughed softly and pulled his fingers away, moving to position himself between L’s legs without missing a beat. He was rock hard again, extremely anxious to get _inside_. “You look positively _obscene_ .” _And perfect._ He hoisted L’s legs up over his shoulders and turned his face to place a firm _bite_ on L’s calf. “It’s almost a shame there’s no bugs in my room anymore.” He grinned defiantly like ‘yes, I know, and yes, I took them away,’ then thrust into L in one smooth motion. He tensed immediately, gasping at the smooth, slick friction and how _incredible_ L’s body felt. “ _F-fuck!”_ He shivered and stilled, breathing deeply to try to keep from shooting right away. Usually he had more control than this, but it being _L_ was doing things to him. 

L jolted slightly when bitten, squirming a little in Light’s grip. _I_ **_was_ ** _right,_ he realized, his eyes widening. _He was the one that destroyed the bugs...but how? How could he-?_ “Ah- _AHHH_ -!” He stiffened up, throwing his head back as he felt the other pressing into him. He hadn’t expected Light to wait at all, but that didn’t make the sensation any less overstimulating. The brief moment he felt pressure against his prostate was enough to make him light-headed. Digging his nails into his palms to try and pull himself together, he closed his eyes, panting. “You-... you took the word right out of my mouth,” he joked, laughing breathlessly. “Christ… how is it that you feel _bigger_ this time?” He didn’t even care that he was unashamedly stroking Light’s ego at this point. He loved seeing how worked up he could get.

Light hummed his approval at the flattery, watching L through slitted, lust-filled eyes. He pulled his hips back and slid in again, gritting his teeth and _forcing_ himself not to cum too fast. He needed for this experience to last, not sure if it would come again. Gripping L’s legs, he gradually picked up the pace until his breathing was heavy, and soft moans and grunts of pleasure were slipping out. He didn’t take his eyes off of L, mainly because he’d missed that opportunity the first time they’d had sex; but then, ‘Alastair’ was just another notch in Light’s bedpost. _L_ was a far more meaningful conquest. He needed to be _closer_ , both to L and this danger, and let L’s legs slip from his shoulders so he could lean over the man. _Everything_ his skin touched felt wet and slippery and _filthy_ , and in his excitement, he licked at some of the cum still on L’s face, pounding almost frantically. 

A writhing mess under Light, L had devolved into helpless gasps and whines, desperately rocking his hips against the other man’s as much as he could. His thoughts were fading away, overwhelmed by how _good_ everything felt. “Light, _Light_ ..!” He shivered, his heart skipping a beat as he watched the man’s face draw closer. Now that the thought had been planted in his head, he knew what he wanted. When Light’s tongue drew closer to his mouth, he turned and lifted his head, kissing him with all of the hunger and _need_ he felt.

_WHAT?!_ Light froze and pulled back as if burned, eyes wide and lips parted in surprise. Not only because L had kissed him--after he’d specifically said he did _not_ kiss on the mouth-- but because of the shock of how _good_ it had felt. “I- I--,” he panted with a confused look on his face, “t-told you I don’t DO that!” His heartbeat was hammering in his ears and he felt dizzy and slightly disoriented. His hand instinctively went back to strike the man that had broken his boundaries but it only trembled momentarily in mid-air before he suddenly grabbed L’s face and kissed him _back_ with just as much passion as L had shown. It was easy to get swept up in the electricity between them, easy to lie to himself and think, _this is what it must feel like with anyone. This is what I must do to get him to fall for me._

For that brief moment, L was terrified. His mind started catching up to him, and he realized how much he’d fucked everything up. Seeing Light upset was not something he wanted, and he also didn’t want to die here. However, all panicked and fearful thoughts fell away when Light kissed him in return. Dizziness washed over L as he eagerly leaned into the other’s touch, moaning softly against his lips. Everything about this felt right. It was like this was meant to happen, like everything had led up to this very moment. Closing his eyes, he let himself enjoy the kiss, giving Light control. 

The rational part of Light’s brain was wholly subsumed by the rushing endorphins as he started to move again without breaking the kiss. There was no thought that he’d probably regret this later, or _maybe_ that boundary had been there for good reason so he didn’t develop feelings. No, he was reaching up to yank the rope binding L’s hands, loosening it until it gave way. He wasn’t in a state of mind to deny himself anything and right now, he wanted _L’s_ hands all over him. He murmured, “Touch me,” into L’s mouth before pressing his lips to L’s again, filled with a sudden overwhelming hunger to possess and devour this person, make them his in all ways and not let them go.

L groaned, eagerly throwing his arms around Light, clinging to him. Shifting his hips, he found the right angle, dragging his nails down the man’s back as he shook. He was completely lost, grabbing and scratching the other as he felt himself nearing completion again. His body was so sensitive now, and his arms were sore in a surprisingly pleasant way. Logically, he should have known how horrible and stupid this was. He was showing more than just his hand- he was practically showing Light, _Kira,_ his whole deck. Instead of reaching those logical thoughts, L only descended further, his only focus being to hold out as long as he could. He didn’t want this to ever, _ever_ end. He had Light now, right here in his arms. This was all he could ever want or need. 

All of these new feelings and sensations were so much, _too_ much, making Light arch his back into L’s clawing hands as he pounded harder. He wrenched his mouth away from L’s as he came suddenly, pressing as deeply into the man as he could. “ _Yesss!”_ Waves of pleasure crashed over his body and there was nothing to compare it to, no prior intimacy had affected him like _this._ He pressed his face into L’s neck as all the tension bled from his body, leaving him gasping with a wide smile on his face. His fingers buried in L’s hair, stroking absently as he drifted in a hazy afterglow without a single thought about what exactly he’d just done.

L could _feel_ Light’s cum inside of him, feel the way he pulsed and twitched. “Oh- oh- _Yes, Kira!”_ He cried out, his body shaking as he fell over the edge, adding to the mess between them. He hitched his legs around the other, pressing his heels into the small of Light’s back in an unnecessary attempt to keep him buried inside. Soft whines of pleasure fell from his lips as he shivered, basking in the fading sensations of pleasure. “Light… amazing,” he whispered, his voice quiet and strained from how vocal he’d been before. _Feels… so good…_ The fingers stroking his hair and scalp put him completely at ease. Light seemed more real now than he ever had before, breathing against his neck, touching him. “I’m yours… I’m yours…” He was far too out of it to even register what he’d accidentally said. 

_He called for Kira?!_ Light was brought back down to earth by the gravity of L’s words, but while his mind was becoming slightly less sluggish, he didn’t move away or protest. He didn’t confirm it either. _Yes, we both know, but I’ll never admit it to you._ It was more fun to dance around it and draw out their game until... _oh._ Suddenly it struck him that the person he was holding and touching so gently would die by his hands and he felt an odd pang of regret. Their chemistry had been undeniable, the connection _real_ even if adversarial and full of lies. It was almost a shame. _Still, it has to be done. But I won’t think about that now, I’ll think about it tomorrow._ He said quietly, hypnotically, “Yes...I want L to be mine.” He turned L’s face to kiss him softly, reluctant to move from the comfortable, close position. “Let’s not bother with this silly case tomorrow. Just stay in bed with me all day.” 

Normally, L would have been immediately suspicious. It was an almost painfully obvious attempt at distracting him. However, laying here, kissing Light while holding him close, the idea was incredibly tempting. He sighed, relaxing under the other as his grip loosened. His arms and legs felt like jelly. “We can’t...we-...” His eyelids opened halfway to look up at Light. The man was so beautiful right now that it was almost surreal. His head felt fuzzy now that he was looking into those eyes, Light’s suggestion repeating and rolling around in his mind. “...okay,” he whispered, smiling sleepily. “I do need to wash my body, though. Falling asleep and waking up with this dried on my skin.”

“You will?” Light blinked in surprise that the suggestion had actually worked. _Wow_. It pleased him enough that he wouldn’t make any objection to letting L sleep here tonight, another boundary he’d never crossed with any hook-up. He smiled happily and carefully rolled off of L, laying on his side with his head propped up in his hand. He snickered and said, “Yeah, I think we could both use a shower. Wanna shower with me?” Dipping a finger in some of the mess on L’s stomach, he brought it to the man’s lips. 

L himself was quite surprised that he had just... _accepted_ …Light’s suggestion, but he was far too tired to worry about it, and it was very easy to chalk that poor decision up to the same problem. He couldn’t stop himself from whining when Light moved away, blushing as he felt the man slide out of him. “Are you sure we’ll be showering if I do that?” Almost as if to prove his point, he ran his tongue along the finger Light brought up to his lips, taking it into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around it and sucked gently, maintaining eye contact with the other man. 

“Insatiable…” Light’s eyes glowed again faintly as he watched L’s mouth with rapt interest, pressing his finger deeper inside. Despite just getting off, _twice_ , he felt equal measures of insatiable and exhausted. Softly, “Remember what you said? What _Alastair_ said?”

Shivering slightly, L gave a faint nod, sucking on Light’s fingers once more before pulling his head back. He moaned quietly, enjoying the feeling of friction against his tongue. Once his mouth was empty, he smiled warmly at the other man and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Only for you.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll be taking another 2-week break between updates to catch up a little in the writing, and because MikaLight Week starts February 8 on Tumblr (ZJ is running it)! We'll have a three-chapter fic for the event so we hope you might check it out!
> 
> And don't think that it will all be smooth sailing for these two now ;) More drama ahead!


	15. Under the Gun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L have to deal with a very complicated morning-after when Wedy comes looking for L. Light’s hurt feelings have disastrous consequences for Aiber.

Sunlight was peeking through the curtains, beaming right into L’s eyelids. He groaned quietly, rolling over and pushing his face towards what he instinctively felt _should_ have been his pillow. While the surface was soft, it was not cloth- it was _warm_. His eyes snapped open and he pulled back, staring at Light in shocked silence. _I’m in bed with Light Yagami? When did that happen?_ He furrowed his brows, trying his best to piece together the fuzzy memories. 

Being in bed with Kira was definitely a welcome experience, but it felt like a shame to not remember the events leading up to that. Shifting, L lifted his head and glanced around, his eyes landing on the rope that was still tied to the headboard. His hand went to rub his surprisingly sore wrist instinctively. Vague memories of squirming, heat, and _begging_ came to mind. Sighing quietly, he nudged Light’s knee with his own.

“Light, wake up.”

It took a couple of times of Light vaguely hearing his name for his eyelids to slit, and he immediately wished he just kept them shut. The sunlight streaming into his bedroom made his head pound, but once his blurry sight focused, a hangover was the least of his problems. _L’s here?_ For a brief moment of panic, he thought he was being arrested in a surprise ambush and frantically scooted away, half-kicking the sheets off his body. _I’m naked?!_ He breathed out, “What are you _doing_ here?” His hand went to his throbbing head, burying in his hair and tugging at it anxiously as disturbing, _enticing_ thoughts flooded his mind. _Did I really...did HE..?_ It felt too risky to blurt out the question, but when his gaze settled on the rope still tied to the headboard, it was all the confirmation required. Light felt his face heating up, unsure if he owed an apology for the myriad bruises and bite-marks covering L’s body. _Oh shit, what did I do?_ Lamely, “I was...really drunk last night…”

L flailed for a bit, grabbing the blanket and clinging to it to keep himself mostly covered. He nodded in return, pushing himself up into a sitting position. He gasped and winced, stiffening for a moment. His back ached almost as much as his head. He lifted a hand to rub his eyes, letting out another sigh. “...I believe I was, as well. If my suspicions are correct, we had sex last night after I partook in far too much alcohol,” he mumbled. It was difficult to feel shame in his groggy state, although he rarely felt shame outside of that. Some of it was finally starting to come back. Oddly enough, he could barely remember most of the time spent in bed, having a much stronger memory of being pinned against the shower wall, lips and teeth clashing, hitting his head against that wall _multiple_ times. _That explains the secondary throbbing sensation...though I doubt it was enough to cause a concussion._

“Are-...are you alright with that..?” L lifted his gaze to Light again, a faint feeling of anxiety bubbling up inside. He didn’t want one night of unplanned escapades to ruin his chances with Light, and he _definitely_ didn’t want that to scare him off forever, either.

“I…” Light swallowed and relaxed slightly, and tried to _force_ himself to think clearly. “....yes? I mean, it happened so...” The memories were coming back to him now-- of L _begging_ him, of tying the man up, of teasing him, fucking him, _untying_ him. _We kissed._ That was the part that gave him the most pause. Something purely carnal would have been easy to dismiss as an ill-advised indiscretion, but this had been more. Yes, he’d been drunk, but the ways he now remembered acting were the same fantasies he’d had sober. He watched L closely and asked, “How much do you remember?”

“I- uh-...” L squinted for a few seconds, as if that would help clear up the images in his head. “I remember being tied up...and the shower,” he mumbled, wetting his lips nervously. “I don’t remember the origin of most of these.” He glanced down at his own chest, his face warming as he stared at the various bite marks. Of course, there was something else he could recall _very_ clearly that he was avoiding. _Can I even bring it up? If he doesn’t remember, I doubt he’ll believe that we kissed._ “I remember...we- uh-”

**_BANG. BANG. BANG._ **

“Light Yagami, open this door _right now!_ I know you’re in there! Where is he?!” Wedy was almost screaming as she slammed her fist against the door. “Let me in, or I swear to _god_ I’ll break the door down myself!”

Light gasped, staring between the door and L with wide, confused eyes. “Who in the hell is--”

“LIGHT YAGAMI OPEN THIS DOOR!” 

A sound _thud_ from a high-heel patent leather boot kicking against the door made Light scramble out of the bed, momentarily oblivious to his nakedness. “Holy _shit_ , is she crazy?!” He dashed across the bedroom and grabbed his pants from last night, frantically trying to pull them on while hurrying towards the door. “I’m COMING! Just WAIT a--” His hand was nearly on the doorknob when another kick blew the door open, sending Light staggering back against the wall before he could even zip up his fly.

Wedy raised her gun right away, moving it within inches of Light’s face. “Where the hell is he? He didn’t come home last night.”

“He’s here.” Light raised his hands, his tone calm as he answered, “Just give me a moment to explain.”

Almost L’s entire face had shifted into a deep shade of red. Thanks to the generous amount of sunlight coming through the window, he had the opportunity to get a proper eyeful of Light’s body. Of course, the first thing he noticed was that the man was somehow more gorgeous than he’d expected. The second thing was the scratches that covered the upper half of his back. Swallowing hard, he ran his fingers through his hair, trying and failing to look casual. “I’m here, I’m right here,” he called out. “I’m okay. I slept here overnight. I just woke up.” He already knew this likely wouldn’t satisfy Wedy, but the most pressing matter was de-escalating the current situation.

Wedy stepped into the room, keeping her gun aimed at Light with one hand, flipping the lightswitch with the other. Immediately, she had another reason to be furious. “What the fuck did you do?” She hissed, glaring at Light. “He’s _covered_ in bruises! Give me one reason to not end you right here and now.” To prove her point further (although that was hardly necessary), she lay her finger over the trigger, lifting her aim slightly.

“Tssk!” Light hissed in anger, gritting his teeth as he glared at her. However, he directed his voice to L, “Perhaps you’d like to tell her that I didn’t do anything you didn’t _want_ me to do?” _Why isn’t he stopping this?_ “That you stumbled into _my_ room and not the other way around?” He swallowed down all the words he wanted to spit at her for threatening him. _I’ll end you, be careful._

“Wedy, he’s telling the truth.” L hesitated before sliding off of the bed and standing up, still holding the blanket over himself. “I’m fine. I came here myself, I chose to stay here myself. _Please_ put the gun away.” His gaze flicked back and forth between them. He was unsure whose life he was more concerned for at the moment.

Wedy frowned, staring at L rather intensely as she tried to judge how truthful he was being. Seeing only the same sheepish detective from before, she lowered her gun with a heavy sigh, putting the safety back on and holstering it. “...alright.” She folded her arms across her chest, looking at Light once more. “Yagami, I apologize. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.” Shaking her head, she took a step back out into the hall. “Breakfast is ready. Get there quickly if you don’t want it cold.” Having certainly had enough of L and Light’s disappointing antics for the day, Wedy promptly left the two alone.

Light shot daggers into her back until she was gone, then slammed the door behind her. It bounced annoyingly due to the broken lock-- one more invasion of his privacy. He sullenly stuffed himself into his pants and zipped up, murmuring, “Rather dangerous to pull a gun on an INTERPOL agent.” In fact, she’d broken several laws in the past couple of minutes, but that? He could actually nail her for it, if so inclined. He wasn’t just a naive teenage suspect anymore, but L’s people apparently hadn’t gotten the memo. That feeling made him _seethe_. “Well, you heard her.” He frowned and breezed past L without looking at him, heading to the mini-kitchen to get a pot of coffee started. Emotionless, “Don’t want your breakfast getting cold.” _I doubt he even remembers saying he’d stay in bed with me today._ It pained him to admit how wonderful that sounded, how much he wanted it.

L rubbed his eyes again, grimacing as the sound of the door slamming echoed inside his skull. “I’ll-...I’ll have the hotel repair your door today. I apologize for that, she was completely out of line,” he mumbled, starting to wander around the room as he gathered his clothes and dressed himself. “If it makes you feel any better, she doesn’t respect my privacy either.” _Frankly, she probably wouldn’t have even considered coming in here if not for me. I’ve no doubt she respects_ **_your_ ** _privacy more._ However, saying that would definitely sully the mood even further. A frown curved his lips after he pulled his shirt on. “...you don’t want to join us for breakfast?” He turned to look at Light, trying his best to hide the vulnerability he felt.

“No.” Light didn’t look up, just focused on fussing with the coffee maker. _He doesn’t remember, and I don’t feel like I can remind him now._ That confusing internal conflict was just making Light even more upset and angry than he already was. “Just get out.”

_Just get out._ It felt like Light’s words punched L in the gut. Swallowing hard, he finished buttoning up his pants. He wanted to say something else, _felt_ like he should say something else...but what else could be said? _He regrets it. He doesn’t want me around._ Without another word, he hurried out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind him before fleeing to the elevator. He wanted to cry, he could feel his frustration and distress building and building. Instead, he pushed it all down, taking a few deep breaths. _I just need to focus on my work. That’s all._

L just kept telling himself that over and over, until he stepped off of the elevator and made his way into the kitchen. His gaze landed on Wedy, sipping her coffee, and he quickly began seeing red. “You- you-..!” He clenched his shaking fists at his sides, struggling to find the words to vocalize the _rage_ he felt.

Aiber made a low _‘oooh’_ sound when he spotted L storming towards them. He grabbed his coffee and took it to the bar to add a splash of a ‘fortifier.’ _Think I’ll need it_. He mumbled behind his mug, “Had nothing to do with it.”

“You ruined _everything!_ Can’t you see that?!” L cried out, his voice breaking. The volume of his own shouting was amplifying his headache, but he was far too upset for even that to bring him back down. “We- we were connecting! I had a _fantastic_ night, and then you barge in and wave a _gun_ around like a lunatic!”

Wedy rolled her eyes, taking another long sip of her coffee before setting the mug down on the bar. “Do you even hear yourself? You were ‘connecting?’ With Kira?” She arched a brow, crossing her arms. She was not going to let the man try and direct one of his tantrums at her. “You weren’t in your room, you never came back up, you didn’t even call or text us- hell, you could have sent us an _email,_ for god’s sake. What else was I supposed to think?” 

Aiber grimaced but still said, “He’s an adult, Wedy. I know it's your job to protect him but there’s a thin line between that and _stifling_ him.” He looked down at his coffee when she gave him a withering look. He knew he didn’t have the authority to tell her what to do, or any _real_ position with L other than an erstwhile helper. “I’m just saying people connect in odd ways sometimes. Even if he is Kira...you’re still alive even after…” He trailed off, not wanting to give her a reason to go back and finish the job.

L almost opened his mouth to correct Aiber. Kira couldn’t kill Wedy without knowing her name, afterall, _but_ the man was arguing in his favor. He appreciated that. “I know neither of you believe he’s Kira. So what’s your _problem_ with him, then? To you, he’s an innocent, smart, and attractive young man! Why can’t I pursue him?”  
  


“Because _you_ think he’s Kira, and that’s _why_ you’re doing it,” Wedy deadpanned, staring at L over her sunglasses. “It’s too early for this. I’m going to go get some work done. I suggest you two do the same.” She knew Aiber would likely interrogate L for other reasons, and she didn’t want to hear any of it. Picking her coffee back up, she made a beeline for her room. 

Aiber sighed as he watched her go, knowing better than to try and get the last word in. He gave L a weak smile in solidarity and sat down at the breakfast table, even though he’d lost his appetite. Usually they got along so well, but all that had changed lately. “She’ll cool off. She always does.” He patted the open chair next to him. “C’mon, you’ll feel better if you have some pancakes. Made ‘em myself.” He’d wait for a couple of respectful minutes before asking about all those _marks_.

Climbing onto the chair, L immediately began loading pancakes onto his plate. He didn’t even know where to start- he could _barely_ remember the night before. However, Light’s last words to him kept coming back. He poured chocolate syrup onto the pancakes, his hand visibly shaking as he pointedly focused his eyes on the liquid. He really didn’t want to address the elephant in the room, mostly afraid he would break down in front of the other man.

Aiber was a cad, but he wasn’t heartless. He could see how upset L was and set his curiosity aside. Softly, “Hey...if the night was that fantastic, I’m sure Wedy’s antics just shocked him. I doubt it’s really ruined.” He tried to catch L’s eye and give him an encouraging smile, but it wasn’t easy with the way the man was avoiding his gaze. He joked, “I mean, an angry Wedy with a gun is definitely not how I like to be woken up the morning after.”

“I asked him if he wanted to eat breakfast with me,” L muttered, picking up his fork and idly poking at the top pancake. “...he told me to ‘just get out.’” Internally, he cursed how much his voice was shaking. On top of all of the confusing emotions he was dealing with, his hangover was making him feel even worse- almost miserable. Part of him just wanted to crawl in bed and hide from the world. “...we kissed. Multiple times.”

“You _kissed?”_ Aiber’s fork hovered in front of his face a moment before he clinked it back to his plate. “Ok, well, _that_ is a big deal. Because he told me in no uncertain terms that he never kisses on the mouth.” Now that L was closer, he could see the evidence in the man’s slightly swollen lips. It wasn’t just a little kissing-- they’d been at it for hours, it looked like. “L, you were probably his first kiss.”

Blushing, L nodded. He rest his elbow on the bar, pushing his forehead into his hand. “He told me the same thing. I don’t-...I don’t _remember_ much of last night, but it _feels_ important. As if it meant quite a bit.” Frowning, he turned his fork, pressing down and slicing through the pancakes slowly. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to ruin this, but he seemed upset with _me._ Unless I’m misjudging the situation, something _I_ did upset him.”

* * *

“Heh, whatcha so upset about?” Ryuk flapped behind Light as the human paced through the suite, picking up toppled lamps and changing the sheets. “Don’t the maids do that?”

Light didn’t respond at first, just set his jaw and focused on whatever task he could to take his mind off the emotional discomfort he felt. He glared at Ryuk and ripped the fitted sheet off the bed with a huff, balling it up and throwing it in the corner. _It smells like him. This whole ROOM smells like him._ He yanked the pillowcases off one at a time and hurled them towards the rest of the dirty laundry. “I’m _not_ upset.”

“Pffttttt. Uh huh.” Ryuk cackled quietly, but knew better than to blatantly mock Light. He’d seen what had happened the night before. _Really got an eyeful._ Light was falling for L and didn’t know how to handle it. Plus, there were other things Ryuk had noticed-- an odd flash of Light’s eyes, several times last night. “Well, if yer so calm, how ‘bout ringing for some more apples?” He lifted a ring-encrusted finger to point at the fruit bowl. “We’re out.”

Light swung around, ready to bite the shinigami’s head off like _it_ was an apple, but lost his steam, sighing and slumping to the bare mattress instead. “I really fucked up last night, Ryuk.” He reached for the aspirin on the nightstand, popping a couple and swallowing them with a sip of coffee. “I’m...letting him get to me.” He cradled his aching head and rubbed at his temples. _It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I wasn’t supposed to LIKE him._ “And apparently his guard dogs are much more of an annoyance than I anticipated.” He glanced towards the still-broken door; he’d snapped at the handyman sent to fix it to come back later. He just needed some peace and quiet. 

“There were no bullets in that gun, hyuk.” Ryuk shrugged and reached into his pocket, pulling out six 40-caliber bullets. “Swiped ‘em when she was poundin’ away, ha.”

“What?” Light looked up at Ryuk in amazement, and held out his palm for the shinigami to dump the bullets into. “Isn’t that against your rules?” _How dare she point a loaded gun at me…or one she THOUGHT was loaded._

“Eh, long as I don’t use the Death Note to kill anybody to save _you_ , or hurt anybody without it, I teeeeechnically didn’t break any rules.” Ryuk snickered, thinking about Justin Armonia’s golden frown at another instance of skirting the rules. “Still. Don’t go makin’ a habit of those kinds of situations, mm'kay?”

Light smiled for the first time since he’d woken up. “Wow. You’re really on _my_ side this time, huh?”

“Don’t go sayin that!” Ryuk’s feathers bristled out and he harrumphed, flapping over to the empty apple bowl. _But yeah, I am._ “Now can I get some apples now, _pul-lease_?”

“Sure, but...one more favor.” Light stood up and went to his temporary hiding place for the Death Note and retrieved it. “I want to ask you to hold onto this for me. _No_ , I’m not giving ownership back-- I just want it to be with _you_ so it will be invisible and always out of L’s reach.” He held it out to Ryuk. “Can you do that?”

“Mmmm.” Ryuk looked down at the Death Note, then shrugged. “I suppose there’s no harm in it.” He took the notebook and stuffed it into his feathers. “With doors being busted down and that crazy blonde with a gun, guess I can’t blame you.”

“Exactly.” Light really smiled now, practically beamed. That was a major worry off his shoulders, and solved a huge problem. Now he just had to figure out what to do for the rest of the day because he was _not_ planning on working with L. He didn’t want to admit it, even to himself, but L not staying with him like he’d promised had deeply hurt given the emotional night they’d had. _And he didn’t even speak up for me to that Wedy woman until I made him._ It just underscored that L’s only priority was hunting down and stopping Kira, no matter what. “Hey, after I call in those apples, how about we go down to the pool?” He felt his upset feelings begin to settle slightly as a little revenge plan took shape. _I’ll make him jealous, drive him as nuts as he’s driving me_. 

Ryuk nodded and grinned. It would be no simple trip to the pool, he could tell. Nothing was simple with Light.

* * *

Aiber glanced up from his work as one of his phones rang, quickly answering it. “Hello?” _My hook-up line? Neither L nor Wedy would use this..._

“Is this _Jon?”_ Light had immediately switched to a sultry, silky tone of voice when he heard Jon’s voice. “This is Light. I wanted to request a little assistance with the investigation, if you don’t mind.” He smiled and tossed some of the newly-delivered apples to Ryuk with a wink. “It’s practically nothing.” 

“Assistance?” Aiber blinked slowly. _Is he...flirting?_ Arching a brow, he chuckled. “What kind of assistance? Where will I be meeting you?” _What’s his angle here?_

“Well, I know that... Alastair’s set up the case tip line and I’d like to be helpful in keeping tabs on what’s coming in. It’s the whole reason I’m staying in Monaco, after all.” Light thought it was actually the very _least_ important reason, but that didn’t matter. “But I don’t have access and, regrettably, something appears to be wrong with my front door so I’ll be using the wi-fi at the pool.” He purred, “Can you come down here and grant me access?” The way he said those words sounded positively filthy. 

The tone Light was using quickly put Aiber into a very one-track mindset. Wetting his lips, he smirked. “The pool, huh? Yeah, I’ll be down in a minute. I hope you don’t mind if I stay after and _keep you company,_ sunbathing is one of my preferred pastimes.” He glanced at his open bathroom door, relieved to see his trunks still hanging up.

“Of course. I’m sure we can be more productive working together. See you soon.” _Perfect_. Light hung up the phone with a smug grin. Fifteen minutes later, he was lounging poolside in dark sunglasses and a skimpy bathing suit, his laptop propped up on a table beside him, pina colada in hand. He slurped some of his drink as he watched Jon walking closer, a slight smirk on his lips. _Let’s see how long before he’s rubbing suntan oil on me._

Aiber plopped down on the chair beside Light, sitting on the edge as he took the towel from over his shoulder and spread it out on the chair. Without hesitation, he leaned over to the laptop, quickly giving Light access to the necessary functions and server for the tip-line. “Alright, you’re good to go.” He flashed a charming grin. “Need anything else from me?”

“That was quick.” Light looked over his sunglasses at Aiber, laughing softly. “Careful or I’ll hire you away from Alastair to be _my_ assistant.” He shifted slightly in the deck chair, opening his legs a fraction more. “Anything else? Guess that depends on whether you have to scurry back to the boss.” He pursed his lips into a pout and sucked on the straw, not taking his eyes off Jon.

_Fuck, I can see how L got hooked. Poor guy didn’t stand a chance._ Aiber nodded, relaxing on his lounge chair. “No, I’m free to do as I please. I at least have an hour or two to spare.” Pausing, he looked the other man over, not bothering to even hide the fact that he was admiring Light’s body. “What did you have in mind?”

Light smiled and nudged a bottle of suntan oil with his foot, showing off his long, tanned leg. “I’d hate to get a nasty burn. Since you're the sunbathing expert, maybe you can help me out.” 

Aiber wet his lips and nodded again, sitting up without hesitation. “Of course. Your health is important, after all.” While his voice wasn’t exactly sarcastic, there was a knowing smugness to it. He took the bottle and stood up, moving so that he was over the other. He squirted some out of the bottle and immediately began spreading it on Light’s skin. He worked slowly, keeping the touches relatively innocent until he made it to Light’s hips. He trailed his fingers slowly along the waistband, watching for Light’s reaction. 

Light sighed softly and tightened the muscles of his stomach, not a flinch but an acknowledgement that he _felt_ the touch, it’s meaning. _I hope L’s watching, or will be soon._ He _was_ enjoying Jon’s attention-- the man was attractive and they had _history_ being called again to Light’s thoughts. Of when he’d grabbed the man’s hair and used his mouth like a toy…But that had been meaningless, hadn’t gotten to him like _L_ had. _Damn it._ He relaxed against the chair and pushed his sunglasses up so he could see Jon clearly. “I’ve been enjoying your car. You know, if you ever miss it, I’d be happy to take you for a _ride_.” His tongue curled around the straw as he played with it in his mouth. 

Aiber’s eyes widened slightly as he looked up at Light’s face. _Does he really mean..?_ His mouth felt quite dry all of the sudden, and he found himself regretting his choice in swimming trunks. They hid nothing. “That sounds like a fun time,” he purred, letting his fingers “accidentally” catch the waistband on the way down, tugging only slightly at Light’s bathing suit. He began working on the man’s legs, taking his time with his inner thighs. His mind was already starting to wander. _Is he playing with me, or does he genuinely want something?_ Somehow, he felt asking straight out would be even more of a betrayal towards L.

“I promise it would be.” Light smiled as Jon ogled him, discreetly looking around for the security cameras in the place. “Hold on a minute while I turn over.” He shifted onto his stomach, careful to be graceful about it and show off his pert ass. _All those scratch marks will be on full display, too._ “There, that’s better.” He moved his laptop to the lounger, propping himself up on his elbows to scroll through the latest ‘tips’ on Kira. It didn’t take long before he was giggling to himself-- it was almost _too_ perfect. “So far we have 38 confessions to being Kira, 462 offers to _assist_ Kira, 14 marriage proposals, 5217 potential sightings, and about 4000 other random tips that haven’t been categorized yet.” He looked over his shoulder at Aiber in amusement. “And it’s only been _one_ day.” He pulled in a deep breath and shook his head. “What a mess.”

Aiber didn’t even bother hiding the grimace on his face as he stared at the screen. _Fuck, L is going to lose it._ Shaking his head, he sighed, focusing on the task at hand. He worked on the back of Light’s thighs, slowly moving his hands up to his ass. “Yeah, it seems like a complete bust to me. I kinda thought it was silly in the first place, but he’s always been idealistic, especially when he’s letting his emotions take the wheel.”

* * *

L’s headache was finally subsiding thanks to the nap and medication. After a while of working on his own in his room, he was starting to feel tense. He wouldn’t admit that it was loneliness, but he left his room all the same. Wandering over to Wedy’s room, he knocked on the door. “Are you busy? I want to talk to you.”

Wedy sighed in the direction of the closed door but finally called, “Come in, it’s unlocked.” She’d been working on categorizing the _flood_ of tips and it was a disheartening task; there hadn’t been one lead of merit in the sea of pranks and misinformation. When L came in, she swiveled around in her desk chair and crossed her legs. “Yes?”

L shifted uncomfortably, scratching his arm as he hesitated on the threshold. Conversations like this weren’t in his skillset, but this felt necessary. Approaching her, he cleared his throat. “I- ah-...I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier. I lashed out inappropriately when you were acting with my best interest in mind.” He fidgeted with his sleeve, avoiding eye contact with the woman. 

Wedy’s expression softened and she finally gave him a tired nod. “I waited up for you all night, you know? Aiber said you’d be _fine_ but...I guess I panicked when you didn’t come back in the morning.” She took her role as Watari seriously, and past that, L’s judgement lately had felt compromised. “I just...I don’t like him. There, I said it.” 

“I can’t judge you for that. You have every reason to hate him, and I do respect you and your opinions.” L frowned, running his fingers through his hair. “You’re both my best friends. I trust you two more than anyone else in this world. But,” he paused, thinking over his next words carefully. He didn’t want to offend her or make his apology seem insincere. “...we kissed, Wedy,” he admitted quietly.

“So?” Wedy definitely didn’t look impressed by that. “You kissed Aiber, too. Hell, _I‘ve_ kissed Aiber. Didn’t mean anything.” It sounded harsh but she was of the opinion that L needed tough love in this situation. “Worst case? He’s Kira and you’ll have to lock him up. Sentence him to death. Best case? He’s actually just a brilliant INTERPOL agent who you’ve been trying to frame as Kira.” She paused and then added, “There’s no good outcomes here, L. Cut him loose.” 

L shook his head, frustration visible on his face. “It _meant something_ this time. It- it felt _real._ I-...” He lowered his gaze to the floor, knowing that he could never really have this conversation properly with Aiber. Even if he didn’t like what Wedy was saying, she meant it. She didn’t soften the blow. He appreciated the honesty. “I think I’m in love with him,” he whispered, his face warming with embarrassment. “I’ve never felt anything this intense before, and-..” He lifted both hands to hide his face, sighing shakily. “I don’t know what to do.”

_Shit. This is worse than I thought_. “L…” Wedy’s tone was more gentle but she was going to tell him just what she thought. “You don’t love him. You’re infatuated with him, and that will pass.” It was a sad situation that L had never had a single meaningful relationship before now, and to her, that meant he was confusing lust for love. “I think you need to come off this case. We need to leave Monaco tonight and you need to forget about him forever.” She glanced over at her gun laying on her desk. It was still puzzling that it had been unloaded-- she’d been _sure_ she’d pressed six bullets into the clip. “As Watari and as your friend, that’s my advice.”

Lowering his hands, L finally stepped into the room, looking up at Wedy’s face. His own was absolutely distraught. He couldn’t hide it, he was far too confused and upset to put in the needed effort to conceal his emotions. The worst part was that he knew she was probably right. “I don’t think-...I don’t know if I can do that.” Swallowing hard, he wrapped his arms around himself. “...I should at least talk to Aiber about this. Think it over, get a second opinion.” He paused, flashing a weak smile. “Where is he, the hotel bar? I didn’t see him in the suite.”

“Pfft. I already know what _his_ opinion will be.” Wedy rolled her eyes and turned back to her computer, switching over to the security feed. “Lemme find that layabout.” She moved from one camera to the next, none of them showing Aiber in any of his usual spots. “Huh, weird. He didn’t say he was leaving the hotel but..” She froze when she got to the camera for the pool, sucking in a breath. “That cockhead! You have to be _kidding_ me.” She zoomed in on a familiar blonde figure laying beside an extremely attractive Japanese man, _sharing_ the same lounge chair and giggling and smiling at one another. “What in the HELL is he doing there with Light?!” Aiber was stroking Light’s arm and appeared to be very... _excited_.

“ _No..._ ” Countless emotions flashed across L’s face in that instance. Shock, horror, hurt, confusion, betrayal, and, finally, anger. He clenched his fists at his sides, his hands shaking. Just seeing the two of them flirting so _shamelessly_ after the conversation he’d had with Aiber felt painfully deliberate. _Why is he doing that? Why would he..?_ His eyes were starting to sting, and his breathing was becoming more and more irregular. It was difficult to tell if he was going to pass out or break down in tears. Instead, he turned on his heel and bolted out of the room and into the elevator.

“L! Wait a second!” Wedy leapt to her feet but stopped at the doorway, thinking twice about interfering in L’s business again without being asked. She had to let him resolve this on his own. Slumping back into her computer chair, she cringed but watched the video feed for whatever disaster was about to take place.


	16. Gutshot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unintentional betrayal leads to a deepening divide between friends. L and Light get honest with each other and their own complicated feelings, but something else is starting to brew.

L ran out of the elevator, almost tripping multiple times on his way to the pool. He couldn’t think, he could hardly keep up with his surroundings. The only thing pushing him on at this point was fury and panic. He wasn’t even sure who he was more upset with. Once out at the pool, he only had to look around for a second to spot them. He didn’t even hesitate to survey the situation, dashing over to the chair. “What are you _doing_ ?!” He cried out, frantically looking back and forth between them both. He still couldn’t reel himself in enough to mask his distress. “You- don’t you have _work_ to be doing, _Jon_ ?” Narrowing his eyes, he focused his attention on the blonde. _You’re both my best friends._ He felt almost sick to his stomach. 

Aiber scrambled back from Light as if he’d just come out of a trance, the reality of how this situation must look to L hitting him as hard as the concrete under his ass. “It’s--it’s not what you think. We were working...I…” He ran a hand through his hair, realizing there was no way to salvage this. _What was I thinking? How does Light have that kind of power over people?_ No, that was a cop-out. He should have known better and not given in to his baser instincts. “I’ll, uh, just go back to the room and get back to work.” He kept his eyes down as he grabbed his towel, holding it over his crotch as he hurried out of the pool area, quietly cursing in French. 

Light kept a completely placid expression although, internally, he was triumphant to have gotten such a _strong_ reaction. “There’s no need to make a scene.” He huffed and rolled onto his back, spreading his legs slightly as he arched a brow at L. “The door on my room is being fixed and I came to use the pool’s wifi. He was showing me how to use the tipline database.”

“Oh?” L wasn’t having any of it. He turned to face Light after giving Aiber a cold stare on the way out. “I didn’t know the tipline was in a bottle of _suntan oil_ and that you check the database by _flirting_ with-..!” His tone was like ice at this point, drastically contrasting the fire in his eyes. He had so many things he wanted to just _scream_ at Light. _What is your problem? What did I do? Why would you do that to me? How could you? Why won’t you love me?_ Instead, he settled for a much quieter, “just tell me what’s going on.”

Light tone was just as icy, “I thought I just did.” He kept his stare on L and lifted the laptop into view, which did in fact display the tip line database. _Is he angry because Aiber was flirting with me or the other way around?_ “And who are you to tell me who I should or shouldn’t flirt with?” _Do you actually care?_ He smirked and lowered his voice, “You’ve already watched me do a lot more to him.”

“That was _before,_ and you _know_ that!” L snapped, his temper only rising. He hated how compromised he was, how Light could see that so plainly. “You’ve been shutting me out all morning, and then you flirt with him when you know I’ll see?” He was too upset and tired to keep avoiding and dancing around the subject. “Why? Why are you acting like this?” His shoulders dropped slightly, much of the fight starting to fade away. As always, he burnt out quickly. _He’s just playing with me. Maybe I should leave. Give up, deprive him of the satisfaction of getting me._

Quietly, “Why am _I_ acting like this?!” Light felt his own temper rising and forced it back down. He was _not_ going to lose his cool in public, in front of L. “You’ve done nothing but trick me and lie to me since the first time we met! Deceive me at the bar, show up at my room and seduce me, make a bunch of promises you have no intention to keep and _bail_ on me after your minion busts down my door and holds me at gunpoint?” He stood up, eyes flashing with anger and something less human. Getting right in L’s face, “And you’re yelling at _me_ for coming to the pool to do my fucking job…” He turned away and snapped the laptop shut, harder than he needed to, and dumped everything into his bag. He murmured, “You’re a piece of work.”

Confusion washed across L’s face. _Promises? What is he talking about?_ Gritting his teeth, he folded his arms across his chest. While he didn’t understand some of it, it did irritate him quite a bit that Light was _right_ to be upset. “It sure didn’t look like you were getting any work done, Yagami,” he snapped, clenching his sleeves in his fists. “But I’m _sorry_ that my friend was concerned for my well-being.” Truthfully, he didn’t really want to fight with the man anymore, but being around Light always sent his emotions spiraling into the extremes.

_Yagami?_ A flicker of real emotion, hurt, ghosted over Light’s emotional mask. “Who’s looking out for my well-being?” He had no one here but Ryuk, and although that was definitely something, the shinigami was limited in what he could do or even wanted to do. Without his team, nobody was watching _his_ back, and he suddenly questioned the wisdom of sending them away. Could L really not understand why he’d been so shaken and upset this morning? One moment he’d thought he was going to die and the next he was expected to share coffee and eggs with his attacker as if nothing had happened. “Certainly not you. But that’s about what I expected.” Light had had enough of this and people were starting to take notice of them. He slung his bag over his shoulder and headed towards the elevators.

L expected a feeling of satisfaction when he saw that his words had hurt Light. Instead, he just felt like shit. Frowning, he stood there for a moment, watching the other man walk away. _I can’t just leave things like this._ Sighing shakily, he gathered himself and hurried after Light, stepping onto the elevator before the doors could close. “I’m sorry,” he blurted out, staring at him with wide eyes. “I-...” He lowered his gaze, but immediately forced himself to look at Light again. “I should have realized how that felt for you. I- I shouldn’t have- fuck, just-..!” He squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath. “Please just tell me what you’re thinking. Tell me everything. I want to understand.”

Light was surprised by L’s apology, and suspicious. It seemed genuine but Light was not in the habit of giving anyone second chances; once someone disappointed him, he walked away. _Why is that so much harder to do with him?_ It was also impossible to tell L everything, or even most of what he was thinking since it was all tied up in who he really was. Being at odds again with L had almost been a relief, making the decision to kill the man so much easier than the complicated feelings he’d begun to develop. _And now he has to apologize and ruin all that again_. It felt so wrong to be even slightly vulnerable now that L was back in the ‘enemy’ bucket, but he wanted to at least say this. “I had asked you to stay with me today and last night, you promised you would.” He frowned and stared up at the slowly ascending numbers above the door. “I thought that meant you gave a shit. But just like everything else you’ve said to me since the moment we met, it was just a lie so you could get whatever you wanted out of me.” He blushed faintly, remembering just _how_ much L had gotten from him. 

For a brief moment, L looked completely baffled. He furrowed his brows, struggling to remember. _He asked me to stay..? When did-?_ He blinked, lifting his hand to bite at his thumb as the realization struck him. What Light was saying sounded correct, familiar. He had no reason to lie about something like this, and it definitely sounded like something that could have happened given the mood of that night. “...I forgot,” he whispered. It all made sense now, the promise, Light’s anger, using Aiber to piss him off- _Of course he did that on purpose. And I did, too. We’re being petty over a misunderstanding._ He laughed, moving his hand to his hair. “I _forgot._ I- I would have stayed. I would have loved that.” This was all too much to be feeling at one time. A sense of shame lingered as he noticed how close to tears he was in front of Light. Part of him wanted to keep fighting, to ask why the other man hadn’t just _reminded_ him- but then Wedy had held a gun to his head. “...for a world-class detective, you’re a bloody moron,” he muttered to himself under his breath, sighing again.

“It’s fine. It doesn’t matter anyway.” _Can’t this elevator move any faster?_ Light knew his affected nonchalance must be giving away how much it _had_ mattered to him, which felt humiliating. “We made a mistake and clearly your friends think so, too. I won’t be reporting the incident to INTERPOL as a courtesy to you, but if anything like that _ever_ happens again,” he looked at L seriously, “I’ll nail her to the wall. Just because she works for _you_ doesn’t make her untouchable.” He meant it, too-- one thing that he’d always take seriously were threats to his life.

L was terrible at understanding social cues and the reactions of others. However, now that he knew what was bothering Light, he could _see_ how upset he still was. “I’m sorry I didn’t do anything to stop her, and I’m sorry I didn’t handle the situation appropriately. She shouldn’t have threatened you like that. I’ll speak to her about it and make sure she understands what will happen,” he replied carefully, not wanting to slip up or say something wrong and make everything even worse. 

Light’s tense posture relaxed a little, and he nodded, “Thanks.” It felt ironic that the first time he’d actually had a gun pulled on him, Light hadn’t done anything wrong. He’d carry his own gun on him from now on, or keep one at arm’s reach when he was in his suite. 

After a moment of hesitation, L walked over, closing the space between them as he rested his hand on Light’s cheek. “...last night may have been an accident, but I don’t believe it was a mistake,” he murmured, his expression softening. “It meant something to me. I’ve never felt anything like that before.” He paused for a second, doing his best to meet Light’s gaze. “I would have stayed.”

Light froze when L touched him, he hadn’t been expecting that or any of the things falling from the man’s mouth. _Can that be true?_ The elevator door dinged and slid open, breaking his shocked reverie. He kept his eyes on L but pressed the ‘Door Open’ button to hold it there. _I want it to be true._ He whispered, “I wanted you to stay. I didn’t want to think you only actually wanted me…” he paused, and nearly added ‘the _real_ me,’ but refrained. It was too risky, especially given how little L remembered. “...when you were drunk.” 

A faint flush tinted L’s cheeks as the man spoke. _He wanted me to stay. He means it._ “Can I come to your suite?” He murmured, fighting the urge to press against him. “It might be easier to have this conversation in private there, rather than here.” _Despite all the fun we’ve had in elevators…_ He smiled sheepishly, looking away. “We do need to talk about last night.”

“Yeah…” Light smiled faintly but the relief he felt was enormous. “Assuming I have a door now.” He leaned his cheek into L’s hand for a quick moment before pulling away and exiting the elevator. The door to his room was indeed repaired but he waited before inserting his key card. “Maybe you...better call whoever you need to call first. Let them know where you are.” He knew one origin of Wedy’s paranoia--his room was the one place where cameras and bugs seemed to magically disappear. _Wonder if some new ones showed up..._

The feeling of Light leaning into his hand made L swoon. Despite everything that had occurred, just that was enough to make him feel like the world was okay again. _I’m so fucked._ He smiled and nodded, taking his phone out of his pocket as he followed him out. He was already pulling up his text messages when Light mentioned calling. “I’m two steps ahead,” he joked, typing out a quick message to Wedy. ' ** _I’m spending some time in Light’s suite, I want to discuss the situation with him. Please do not interrupt us unless I request that.'_ ** He looked it over once more before hitting send, satisfied with the wording. 

Wedy texted back right away, cryptically, _‘_ ** _If you must. But I need to talk to you ASAP about something important. It’s to do with him._** _’_

“I’m going to get a shower and change.” Light entered his suite and looked around; the maids had also been here and the sheets he’d yanked off the bed were gone, new ones now on the bed. “I’ll be quick.”

Ryuk was lounging on top of the bed watching TV, a melodramatic French soap opera. He perked up when he saw L, but said, “Heh, owe me some apples later, buddy.”

_What’s he mean by that? Hmm._ “Looks like the maids left the TV on.” Light sighed in Ryuk’s direction and flipped it off, then headed into the bathroom. He wasn’t worried about Ryuk doing anything to tip L off and figured the shinigami might get a kick out of spying on him in Light’s absence. But Ryuk joined him in the bathroom right away. 

“Somebody was pokin’ around your stuff while you were gone.”

Light turned on the shower to cover his faint whispering. “Who?”

* * *

L smiled softly, nodding to Light as he closed the bathroom door. He let out a quiet sigh, sitting down on the bed and looking at his phone. _ASAP? That can’t be good._ He considered putting it off and refusing to spoil his mood, but he knew he couldn’t. Sitting alone in this room wasn’t distracting enough to stop him. **_I’m alone for now. What is it?_ ** If it was life-threatening or damning, he needed to know before he attempted to pursue a deeper relationship with Light. Glancing around the room, he squirmed for a moment before standing up and walking to the kitchen. _Surely he won’t mind. I’ll have more sent up,_ he told himself as he began brewing a pot of coffee.

_‘_ **_I searched his room while he was down at the pool. Before you get pissed off, I didn’t even find anything suspicious.’_ **

  
  


_Another text quickly followed._ **_‘But...there was a picture in his top desk drawer that I swear I saw before. One of yours? Anyway, there are new bugs and cams in the room. You’re welcome.’_ **

A feeling of pure dread settled in L’s gut as he read the text. _The picture that was missing. How did he..?_ He pushed a mug under the coffee drip and texted back, ' ** _He probably pickpocketed it off of Aiber that night. I wouldn’t put it past either of them.'_ ** While things were mostly patched up between him and Light, L still felt a prickle of rage thinking about Aiber. ' ** _Thank you. Goodnight if I don’t come up. Please don’t tell him what we discussed._ '**

Sighing quietly, L buried his face in his hands. _More cameras and bugs. Great. I should tell him if I want to maintain some semblance of trust, but that would be extremely counter-productive to the investigation._ Rubbing his forehead, he grabbed the mug and began preparing his coffee. _Dammit._

Light came out of the shower a few minutes later, wet hair tousled from toweling. He could see L’s blurry figure through the frosted glass partition separating the bedroom and kitchen. According to Ryuk’s x-ray vision, L hadn’t searched his room as he’d expected, but the room was (again) full of bugs and cameras placed by none other than Wedy. Which meant L _knew_. Saying that he was pissed off all over again was an understatement. It felt like _just_ when he was lowering his defenses a little, L gave him another reason to throw them back up. “Help yourself to whatever’s in the kitchen. I’ll be right out.” He huffed and threw on a pair of comfortable black pants, not bothering to put on a shirt, mainly to throw L off-balance a little. 

Ryuk flitted around the room, poking his head here and there to scope out all the bugs. “Did a little bit better job hidin’ em this time, but can’t fool me, heh.”

Light walked into the brightly-lit kitchen and forced himself to smile at L as if nothing had changed. “What was it you wanted to talk to me about?” Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ryuk crushing the bugs one by one, zooming outside to toss the pieces into the dumpster.

L took a sip of coffee, humming in satisfaction. “Sorry, I’ll have everything I use replaced. I’ve only had one cup today, I need more than that to function,” he joked, setting the mug down before turning. He froze up when he saw Light, blushing softly. The man always knew how to throw him for a loop. He couldn’t help but check him out, even if just for a moment. _Focus, L. You need to be honest._ Crossing the room, he draped his arms around Light’s neck, pressing his body against him and his face under his jaw. “The room is bugged again. Cameras, too,” he muttered, low enough that he felt certain the mics wouldn’t pick it up. Kissing his skin softly to make it a little more believable (and because he wanted to), L pulled away, smiling warmly. “I just want to talk about us.”

_He TOLD me?_ Light blinked but otherwise hid his shock. That either meant that Wedy placed the bugs on her own or L was testing him right now. Probably both. It was too late to tell Ryuk to stop getting rid of the cameras but...maybe this was more fun anyway. L would find out they disappeared when he was in the room! _Ha!_ The thought made him smile as he embraced L in return, and he whispered in the man’s ear, “You should tell Wedy to stop wasting her equipment. And your money.”

A flurry of texts from Wedy buzzed in L’s pocket. 

L sighed quietly in irritation as his phone vibrated. Reaching down, he pulled it out, pausing to look at Light. _Implying he removed them last time, and he’s doing it again?_ While he knew this was basically a thinly veiled confession, the challenge in his tone was provoking a reaction it probably shouldn’t in him. Instead of acknowledging it verbally, he looked down at his phone.

_‘_ **_THE DAMN BUGS ARE DARK AGAIN_ ** _,’ ‘_ **_Tell me what he’s doing-- it’s happening right now!_ '** _‘_ **_Shit-- this isn’t even possible._ ** _’_

_Wait- right now?! How is he-?!_ L swallowed hard. He knew he’d have to handle this carefully. _If I want to have an honest conversation with him, I have to start by being honest in the first place._ He stuffed his phone back in his pocket, returning his arms to their previous position over Light’s shoulders. “Quite the magic trick, Light. You make my inhibitions, technology, wealth, and _photographs_ disappear in an instant,” he mused, his voice shifting into a purr. _I can’t let him know it bothers me, I can’t let him have the upper hand._ “You’ll have to teach me sometime.”

“Photographs? Oh.” Light grinned, knowing exactly the one L meant. _So, he cops to that too._ He moved away and over to his desk, opening the top drawer to take out the glossy photo in question. “Found it in the hall.” He held it out to L between his fingers, his smile smug and knowing. “Would hate to deprive you of it, so you can have it back.” He bit his lip to keep from giggling when he heard Ryuk’s cackling start up. “Did your dear friend Wedy have any other concerns during her illegal search?” _I know she didn’t find a single thing._

L smirked faintly in return, pocketing the photo without breaking eye contact. “No, that was all.” He paused, considering his options as he shifted from one foot to the other. “If you’re fond of this photo, I can definitely show you the rest sometime,” he murmured, stepping closer to sit on the edge of Light’s desk. _Fuck, what if he just took me right here..?_ “I assume we’re able to actually discuss what I wanted to talk about now? Or is your trick not over yet?” He licked his lips slowly. _I wonder if he’s just as addicted as I am..?_

“Our tricks are never done.” _Not until one of us is dead, right?_ Light’s gaze traveled around the room, not wanting to settle only on Ryuk. The shinigami nodded and gave the ‘all-clear’ sign and smashed the last bug. “But it’s safe to talk now.” As if in confirmation, L’s phone buzzed once more in his pocket. 

Laughing quietly, L muted his phone and set it aside face-down, focusing his attention on Light. He sighed, shifting to get more comfortable before speaking. “Last night, we-...” He bit his lip, squirming. His proximity to Light was only making this more difficult (and exciting). “...we kissed.” Almost subconsciously, his eyes went to the man’s lips. His heart was pounding in his chest. “...you said you don’t kiss.”

“I don’t.” Light’s throat felt dry at L’s bluntness, the scrutiny of those large eyes. “Well, I hadn’t.…” His first instinct was to just hand-wave it away as drunkenness and being swept up in the moment, but that would be a lie. L had offered some small truths and he’d do the same. “It seems you’re the first exception to my rule.” _I’m just saying it to make him fall for me more._ It was easier to tell lies to himself. 

L’s expression softened, and he reached out to touch Light’s cheek. His fingers ghosted across the soft skin. “...a kiss has never felt like that for me, before,” he murmured, blushing. “Light, I-...I’ve never felt anything so intensely before I met you. I can’t get you out of my mind. When I saw you with-...with ‘Jon,’ I-...I can’t describe it. It hurt me,” he admitted, lifting his hand further to play with a strand of Light’s hair. “Tell me if I’m just imagining this...this connection between us.”

“No,” Light said softly, “You’re not imagining it.” He wasn’t sure how to feel about admitting that, given who they both were, what they were supposed to be doing. “But this is dangerous for me.” His hand covered L’s, and he closed his eyes and turned his face into the man’s palm, kissing it. “It’s even more dangerous for you.” He looked back at L meaningfully, feeling more conflicted than he had in his life. _I can’t tell you who I am but you already know it!_ “You should stop before…we get to the place where we can’t.” 

“I know,” L whispered, his throat tightening from the kiss. “I should. Wedy told me it would be best to drop the case and leave. Put this all behind me.” He ran his thumb across Light’s lower lip. “...but I don’t want to. It’s idiotic, insane, illogical- but I want this more than anything in my life.” He lowered his hand, shivering faintly. “...can- can we kiss again..? Just to be sure it wasn’t only the alcohol.” He knew it wasn’t, and he knew that Light was aware of that, but some part of him was desperate to find proof that he wasn’t feeling the things he was feeling. 

“Mmm, just a test, huh?” Light gave him a sly smile and pulled L into his arms, holding him just an inch from his lips. “L the detective always needs objective proof, is that it?” It felt very strange-- and he was _scared_ \-- to kiss L in full possession of his faculties and sobriety, because he knew if he did it now, there would be no turning away from this. It would happen, and it would destroy them. _I don’t care, let me have this._ They breathed the same warm air for a moment before Light closed the distance, nearly crashing into L’s mouth as he made the decision to damn himself. And for that reason, the kiss was frantic, passionate, like it was the last one he might get or the last one that might be this _good,_ so he’d better enjoy it. _A condemned man’s last meal, or his first?_

It was like everything around them had slowed down to a stop. L’s entire world closed in on just Light in front of him. And then, he was lost. He moaned desperately into the kiss, grabbing at Light’s back and hooking one leg around his hips. Everything was too much and not enough at the same time. _It’s real. Neither of us can deny this. We’re both so, so fucked. But at least we aren’t alone._ Tears stung his eyes as the reality of all of it crashed into him. Light was Kira. That was an undeniable truth, as was the fact that this was the happiest he’d ever been. They were doomed. Pushing that aside, for his own sake, he pressed his nails into Light’s back, nipping at his lower lip. Even with how frenzied and desperate the kiss was, it was warm and comforting. He felt vulnerable and safe all at once. When he finally pulled back to breathe, he laughed, his eyes glistening. “I’ll stay,” he murmured, smiling brightly. 

Light smiled back just as brightly, a rare smile since it was genuine. “We can just move the investigation to my bed.” _You have Kira there, after all._ The thought made him laugh at the irony, which at this point-- why not joke about it? They both knew the truth and L would have called in the cavalry already if he meant to do so. That didn’t mean Light would be careless or outright admit it--he didn’t _trust_ \-- but the private knowledge they shared was a secret just for them. He hummed to himself and kissed L once more, gently this time.

_He looks even more beautiful when he smiles._ L chuckled quietly against Light’s lips. “I’m not sure about that, I think we can definitely get some _investigating_ done on your desk,” he mused, unable to stop the laughter in his voice. It was such a ridiculous statement, but it was nice talking to Light like this. Enjoying his company. Joking around. Being _real_ with him. 

“I’m sorry about using Jon like that, of course I just wanted to make you terribly jealous.” A spark of lust bloomed in Light's eyes. “I wanted _you_ to see me, come after us and stop things. Show me that you cared.”

L's smile faltered. “You used him, but he’s an adult capable of making his own decisions,” he muttered, shaking his head. “But I don’t want to talk about him.” He took a deep breath to settle himself. “I want to talk about you, about us.” He tightened his hold on the other man, pulling him closer. “And I’m sure we can find plenty of ways to show that I care…”

Light teased, “By my estimation, you owe me a _whole_ day and…” He checked his watch dramatically. “It’s already 2 pm.” He kissed L’s neck and murmured, “I think that means you’re spending the night here.” He wouldn’t make a fuss if L said no, but he couldn’t help but press his advantage.

L shivered, tipping his head to expose more of his neck to Light’s soft lips. “We should get started, then,” he murmured breathlessly, lifting a hand and tangling his fingers in Light’s hair.

_Why not just go all in…_ “Or you could just move into my suite…”

L jolted and gasped quietly at Light’s suggestion. _Spend the night..?_ He blushed and bit his lip. Somehow, despite having already spent a night here, the suggestion felt so sudden. However, the thought of going back to his own suite and dealing with Wedy and Aiber was...unappealing, to say the least. Pulling back to look at the other, he furrowed his brows. It didn’t _seem_ like he was making fun of him. “...are you sure about that? You would be alright with me staying here from now on?” He wasn’t immediately saying “no” to the offer, surprising himself. 

“I’d be more than alright with it.” Light met L’s gaze, and there was no lie between them. “It would be nice to get to know you better. You seem to know everything about me and I know so little about you.” Of course, there _would_ be the added benefit of having all of L’s attention to himself, removing any unwanted influences or threats. _It’s just part of my plan, nothing more_. “If at any time you want to leave, I won’t get offended.” He took L’s hand, playing with the man’s fingers as he interlaced them with his own. “Give me a chance. A _real_ one.”

L couldn’t turn down the offer. He just couldn’t. Grinning, he nodded. “Alright, I’m moving in.” He reached over beside him, grabbing his phone and texting Wedy quickly. ' ** _I’m staying with Light now.'_ ** He knew he _should_ tell her more, but he wasn’t happy at all with the two. “I’ll have what I need brought down by the staff.” He squeezed Light’s hand gently, struck by how _lucky_ he was. “Now I’m yours.”

* * *

Aiber knocked softly on Wedy’s door once he’d showered and changed clothes. “Wed? Can I bend your ear a moment?” He dreaded this conversation since he assumed the way L had spotted them was via Wedy’s surveillance. The detective hadn’t come back and he _had_ to talk to someone.

Ibuprofen was doing nothing for the headache pounding away in Wedy’s skull. She leaned back in her chair with a sigh, groaning as the namesake of that headache knocked on her door. _Had to happen eventually._ Just thinking about what happened earlier was pissing her off all over again. It felt like she’d _finally_ gotten through to L, like he was really listening and considering dropping the case and moving on. Gritting her teeth, she stood up and hurried over, yanking open the door. She grabbed Aiber by the collar, jerking him into the room. “What the _hell_ were you thinking?! I was _this_ close to getting us out of here!” She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him. 

“Wh-aat?” Aiber nearly stumbled as he was yanked inside. “Well, I didn’t know about any of that! I uh--” He cleared his throat anxiously and adjusted his askew shirt. “I mean...I guess I wasn’t really thinking. He can be so damn persuasive!” He sighed and fixed Wedy with a pathetic, puppy-dog look. “It’s really not my fault.”

Based on the faint twitch that was developing in her eyebrow, Wedy was not pleased by his excuse. “You- you weren’t _thinking?_ That’s all you have to say for yourself?” She crossed her arms, huffing out her nose. 

“I have some more to say!” Aiber quickly skimmed through his mental Rolodex for something that might actually fly other than ‘I was horny.’ “L didn’t have any problem with me fooling around with Light before. Hell, he even _encouraged_ me to do it, recorded the whole thing.” It still sounded a little lame but there was truth in it-- he had a pretty open and flexible mindset about relationships. “Guess I...didn’t realize Light was off-limits completely.”

“I know you really can’t be _this_ stupid. Can you not control yourself for five fucking seconds?” Wedy was doing her best to keep herself from just shouting at Aiber. “Want to know what he told me _right_ before he saw you cozying up to the _Kira suspect_ by the pool?!”

“I guess?” Aiber had a feeling he wasn’t going to like it, but Wedy was going to tell him either way. 

Wedy rolled her eyes, taking a deep breath before lowering her voice. “L told me he thinks he’s in _love_ with him, you absolute _moron_ ,” she hissed, jabbing her index finger at his chest. “He was a _wreck._ I had him considering dropping the case. We were going to bring you up here to discuss it. And then-!” She waved both hands at Aiber. “I don’t know how to fix this. He wasn’t just angry, he’s _hurt._ ” She paused, frowning. “This is _your_ mess to clean up this time.”

“ _Merde_.” Aiber blew some hair out of his eyes and slumped into an overstuffed chair opposite Wedy’s desk. “He didn’t tell me that at breakfast, or I...well, I wouldn’t have…” _Fuck, I screwed up so bad._ He groaned pathetically and said, “I’m toast, aren’t I? He’s never going to forgive me.” Of course, he’d try to fix this but he just wasn’t sure how to make it right. He asked softly, “What should I do?”

Wedy _almost_ lost it when Aiber started up a self-pity act. It took every ounce of self-control in her body to not throttle him. “To start? Apologize. Talk to him. Explain yourself.” She sank down into her computer chair, starting to calm down a bit now that the initial confrontation was out of the way. “You know how L is. We’re _all he has,_ Aiber.”

  
  


“You’re not exactly helping things either,” Aiber said sullenly. “Busting into Light’s room with a gun. What were _you_ thinking?” 

”At least I was trying to--” Wedy froze as her phone vibrated, sighing heavily. Looking down on it, she didn’t even bother holding back a groan of frustration. “He’s staying with him. He’s staying with Light.” Gritting her teeth, she turned her phone to show Aiber the text. “It sounds _indefinite_.”

“After what happened at the pool...is L _really_ only blaming me?” Aiber knew he’d done something stupid but Light had definitely been trying to lead him on. “How in the hell did he get out of that one?!” 

Wedy froze, her eyes slowly widening as she was struck by a sudden realization. “...that _bastard_ did it on purpose. He _knew._ _Fuck,_ he’s driving L away from us and right into his fucking arms.”

Aiber sat back and crossed his arms, mirroring her stern expression. “We’re in the same boat, cherie. Light’s got L wrapped around his sexy little finger.” He wiggled his pinky with a grin, but it slowly slid off of his face. _What if..._ “Wedy, do you think...Light _actually_ might be Kira?” He’d never truly entertained the possibility before, but his gut was telling him something new. “Out-conning a professional conman? Finding surveillance cameras placed by _you_? Getting the one person most important to his freedom to fall for him hard? To move _in_ with him? He’s played every one of us like a fiddle! And the more I think about it, _that_ seems like exactly something Kira could do.”

Wedy grimaced, looking away. “...I put more cameras in his room. I was _watching_ them.” She turned her chair around, moving the computer mouse to wake her monitor back up. All of the video feeds were dead, each window having only static and “NO SIGNAL” in large white text. “I watched each camera go dead one by one, in real-time, while they were in the room.” Looking back at Aiber, her expression grew serious. “I don’t think he’s Kira, I _know_ he is. Aiber,” she paused, a flicker of distress on her face. “L was right. He was telling us this whole time and we _laughed_ at him. And now he-” 

“There’s a bigger problem now, Weds.” Aiber looked longingly towards the living room, he _really_ needed a drink. “L knows he’s Kira, too. Like you said, he was the _first_ one to know. And he’s...not doing anything about it.” Not anything towards solving the case, in any event.

Sighing heavily, Wedy rubbed her face for a moment. The headache had returned with a vengeance. “...he knows and he doesn’t care anymore,” she murmured, a bad feeling settling in her stomach. “It’s not like he could forget...god, what if we can’t get through to him..?”

“There would be only one thing to do in that situation.” Aiber got up to peer at the screen, and then at Wedy. He sighed and said seriously, “We stop Light ourselves.”


	17. Slowplay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the shinigami realm, a watcher notices something is amiss on Earth. Blissful days pass for L and Light, and Light’s plan of distraction has resulted in L nearly forgetting about investigating the Kira case at all. The truth is always just under the surface, though, and can’t be avoided forever.

The purple sun hung low in the orange sky of the Shinigami Realm, the same as it always did, unmoving, as Nu slowly oozed across the stone floor towards Justin Armonia’s chamber. Her dreams had been disturbing of late, and while it wasn’t uncommon to have a nightmare once or twice every eon, Nu had felt things during her waking hours that unsettled her even more. So, she had come to report her intuition to Justin and see what he could make of it.

Justin was studying something on his bejeweled clipboard when she finally squelched to a stop at his feet. Shivering off a few bubbles from her soft and squishy body, they floated up into the air and popped, one after another. “Justin. Need. Speak. You.”

For a moment, it seemed as if the metallic shinigami was just going to ignore her. Justin continued looking over what was on the clipboard, sitting perfectly still. To the unknowing eye, he looked identical to a statue. However, with a high-pitched creaking sound, he turned his head to look at Nu, his diamond eyes losing some of their luster. “You’re here and you’re speaking. What is it?” After the last big revelation regarding the still-missing Death Note and Gelus’ demise, the King had been... _unpleasant_ to confront. He didn’t need any more bad news to deliver.

Nu pulsed a few times, her body puffing up and contracting like a monstrous heartbeat. Larger bubbles formed and broke off-- she had a lot to say this time. “Odd feelings from Earth. Shinigami powers. Not Ryuk. Someone else.” All 67 of her eyes (on the front side of her body) were trained right on Justin. The last humongous bubble popped, “New shinigami? Is possible?”

_New Shinigami._ If Justin’s body had blood coursing through it, it would have run cold at that point. _No, it can’t be. It’s against the rules now. I would have known._ “That’s impossible, Nu. There are no new shinigami. It can’t happen without the King knowing, and, by association, _me_ knowing.” He lowered his clipboard to his lap, letting out a low sigh that sounded like an echoing whistle. “Please. _Elaborate_.”

Nu’s dozens of eyes blinked but she pulsed again to make more bubbles, “Sense it. Small. But growing.” It wasn’t easy for her to explain; she’d never felt anything like this before. It was her job to keep one of her eyes trained on each mortal world and report back if anything was amiss, though. She was just doing what Justin had _told_ her to do, but he still didn’t look happy to hear it. It made her doubt herself since new shinigami really should be impossible. “Could. Be wrong.” Two more small bubbles floated up after a moment, “Maybe. Just Ryuk.”

Another sigh. Justin slowly lifted one of his skeletal hands to rest on his forehead. “...Ryuk, of _course_ it’s something _he’s_ done,” he muttered. “Thank you for telling me this. I need you to keep this information between us, alright? Continue to monitor the situation, and keep a close eye on Ryuk specifically. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s meddling in something he shouldn’t be.”

“Yes. Secret.” Nu chuckled, a horrible noise as dozens of little bubbles popped in a quick succession of gasps and giggles. “Will watch.” She blinked once with all her eyes in unison and oozed back towards the door. Even if the nagging feeling of something being wrong hadn’t gone away, Justin was the Answer God and this was ultimately _his_ problem. She was technically just the messenger. However, her hunches had rarely been wrong and she’d keep two eyes on earth for the time being.

* * *

In truth, the past three days had been some of if not _the_ best days of L’s life. Moving in with Light was slowly becoming, in his opinion, the best decision he’d ever made. Most of their time was spent in bed when they weren’t eating, sleeping, or doing _some_ work. The amount of work he’d accomplished was abysmal, to say the least, but he’d never felt this good before. He was sleeping more, eating more, and even smiling more. He felt like he and Light were getting closer, too.

Throughout those three days, L had slowly gotten his things delivered to Light’s- _their_ suite. He went out of his way to avoid being in the same room as Wedy and Aiber, preferring to have staff bring him his things or wait until they were both elsewhere to enter the suite and retrieve them. 

Smiling to himself, L got to work unpacking the last bag, folding his jeans and placing them in _his_ side of the dresser. He’d never expected himself to be the sentimental type, but everything about his current living situation felt so special, so important to him. He could see himself spending the rest of his life like this.

For his part, Light wavered back and forth between losing himself in the newness of their relationship and _forcing_ himself to remember that L, ultimately, was his enemy. It wasn’t easy to do the latter when L seemed far more interested in kissing or whispering in bed, talking over past cases or sharing some safe details of his life, than in making the kinds of threats Light expected. Either L was an immaculate actor, or the man was head over heels for his suspect and letting his guard down completely. 

Which was exactly what Light had asked for-- a real chance. The problem being that Light had to ‘pretend’ to give L a chance as well, and lower his own defenses enough to let L have a peek behind his mask. It was terrifying and not just because of what L might deduce about Kira. Everything about Light Yagami was an elegant wall he’d built to hide what was inside himself, _from_ himself. Past that, he was nervous about the changes occurring to his body and mind, day by day. There was no doubt about it now, the pieces of the Death Note that he’d been ingesting for months were the cause of it all--- the heightened sense of hearing and smell, the improved visual acuity that seemed to extend to the horizon. He felt stronger, moved with more grace and agility, although he actively tried to hide all these changes from L. How in the world would he explain that he was starting to be able to see _through_ objects for brief flashes of time? It came in handy watching L in the shower but there was no mundane explanation that would satisfy L’s curiosity. It would only make the detective more certain of Light’s guilt. 

At night, Light checked in with Gilles at INTERPOL, as well as with his father. That felt strange, describing his ‘progress’ on the Kira case while lying next to the very detective his father had punched only a few years ago over the same case. He couldn’t mention L in any other capacity aside from professional; no, that would be _unthinkable_. 

Light watched L putting his things away with a slight smile, slipping an apple to Ryuk behind his back before embracing L from behind. “Hey...thought it might be fun to get out of the hotel tonight.” His fingers wandered under L’s shirt as he kissed the man’s neck. “I have a little surprise planned for you, if you’ll trust me.”

L gasped softly as he felt arms wrap around his middle. Blushing, he leaned back into Light, biting his lip. The man’s wandering hands were quite distracting. “Oh, a surprise?” He chuckled quietly, tilting his head to expose more of his neck to Light’s lips. “I’m intrigued, but touching me like this will make it a little difficult to leave the suite, won’t it?” A soft smirk curved his lips as he teased the other. The little jokes and jabs they sent back and forth felt so natural now. He didn’t have to force anything or try to make up for his awkwardness- he could just be _himself_ around Light, and he could do that without feeling anxious.

Light teased back, “In that case, I better stop.” He giggled into L’s neck and tickled the man’s ribs before backing away, a shit-eating grin on his face. “I don’t plan for us to come back here tonight so I have to call Gilles before we go.” He sighed and swiped his phone, moving to lounge on the bed. He never looked forward to these calls but there were a necessity if he was going to retain permission to stay here with L. “Need to update him on _all_ the progress we’ve made.” _More like lie through my teeth._ He smirked up at L, ignoring Ryuk’s cackling from on top of the dining room table.

Nodding, L sat down on the bed beside Light. “I see, yes, that would be a good idea,” he murmured, a look of faint mischief in his eyes. _I could have a little fun now...get him back for teasing me like that._ Of course, he didn’t mind the teasing, so there was no reason for any “revenge,” but the idea of working Light up during his very important phone call was extremely tempting. He picked up his phone, pretending to busy himself with it while waiting patiently.

Light sighed and scrolled to Gilles’ number, hoping the man was busy and wouldn’t answer. Unfortunately he picked up on the first ring. “Ah, hello, Gilles. It’s Light. Just wanted to update you on the _substantial_ progress we’ve made today.” He rolled his eyes and shifted into a mode he was quite comfortable with-- completely convincing lies. “We’ve gotten over 100,000 tips in the past three days, incredible, huh?” He neglected to mention that absolutely none of them had been helpful in any way, shape, or form. 

“Oh? That’s marvelous!” Of course, Gilles fell for it. “I have to admit we’ve had much less luck here, Light. Both Britain and China have declared that Kira has _not_ returned, and the United States outright laughed at us.” He sighed heavily, a clue to what the past few days had been like for him-- one headache after another. “So you think you have a lead?”

“Perhaps. There’s a promising one out of Switzerland I might reach out to you to follow up on.” _And just waste your time._ “A cluster of Kira sightings up at a ski lodge in the Alps.”

L snickered quietly, covering his mouth to ensure the phone wouldn’t pick it up. Before, the obvious lies would have made him suspicious, but he could see the humor in stringing Gilles along like this (plus he was still a little sore about their last interaction). He shifted down the bed some, rolling over and positioning himself above Light’s hips. Grinning up at the other man, he pushed up his shirt, pressing soft teasing kisses against the skin above his waistband.

Light didn’t hear anything Gilles was saying, his _full_ attention turned to L the moment he felt those lips brush across his skin. He shot L a playfully mean look but he also _really_ didn’t want this to stop. 

“Light? Light are you there??”

“Y-yes! Sorry, the damn connection in this hotel goes out sometimes.” Light covered the mic on his phone and said to L, “You’re going to get me in trouble you ass!” He giggled and squirmed away a little, but only to pose an easy challenge. “Anyway, what were you saying?”

“That we can send Adrien up there to help with the tip line if you need it.” Gilles almost sounded like he wanted to get rid of him. “He’s been quite insistent about asking to go.”

L crawled up the bed after Light without hesitation, his smile growing. Upon hearing Adrien’s name, he became even more determined. He pressed a few more kisses to Light’s lower stomach, lifting his hands to undo his pants button and zipper. He worked quickly, tugging them down just enough to lean in and run his tongue along Light’s clothed cock. He stared up at the man through his lashes, eagerly watching his reactions as he licked him again.

“Ah!!” Light’s face flushed, his mouth falling open as he realized what L was really aiming for. He mouthed to L, _‘You’re going to get it later.’_ “Um, sorry, I- uh…dropped the phone.” He licked his lips and focused right on L’s mouth, his own twisting into a challenging smirk. He was getting rock hard just at the game of the situation and L had only licked him once. Clearing his throat, he tried to sound normal, “No, Adrien’s help won’t be needed. Maybe you can send him to check out that lead.”

Giggling softly, L licked him once more. _And I’m counting on it._ Riling Light up just to get the full brunt of his frustration later was _exactly_ what he wanted. He tugged the man’s underwear down, freeing his length. He immediately got to work, licking him from the base to the tip over and over, changing his angle slightly each time with the goal of making his entire cock wet with his saliva _before_ sucking him off.

Light couldn’t even think to press mute, he could only shove the phone into a pillow as he moaned loudly. _Fuck, I hope Gilles didn’t hear that!_ He was breathing hard and starting to sweat from the effort of keeping his reactions and voice calm. Everything in him wanted to hang up the phone and just pounce on L, but if he didn’t satisfy Gilles, he’d be called back to France and all this fun would be over. He shakily lifted the phone back to his ear, biting his lip harder each time L licked him.

“---and that means that the team is really quite overstretched as it is, but if you think that these leads have anything of substance behind them--”

“I...I can’t quite guarantee that. I mean, I’m really just doing my due diligence here.” Light’s eyes fluttered shut as he throbbed beneath L’s lips. He had to take a moment to compose himself before continuing in a rougher voice, “It’s still completely improbable to me that Kira is really back.” He couldn’t help but look right at L when he said that, a taunting smile on his face. 

L narrowed his eyes in return, his eyes very clearly communicating “you’re in no position to say that.” He ran his tongue up the underside of Light’s cock, pausing at the tip to tease him for a moment more before taking him into his mouth. Without hesitation, he steadily lowered his head until his nose pressed against the other. He did his best to maintain eye contact at this angle, eager to enjoy this little game between them. In truth, he knew that getting Light in trouble would be bad for both of them, but the _danger_ of the situation only made it more exciting.

“Yes, I’m of the same mind but we still need to--”

Light’s eyes widened as he watched L slide down his length, and it felt _so_ good that for the first time he thought he might actually lose this game. His voice cracked when he interrupted Gilles, “N-not to worry, I understand the position you’re in.” _Fuck I hope he doesn’t understand the position I’M in._ He pushed his hand into L’s hair, breath coming fast as he rubbed against the man’s tongue. “I’ll c-cover all bases so we can move on from this -- _ahhh!_ \-- distraction and get back to real cases.”

“....Light? Are you alright?” 

L’s eyelids fluttered shut as he swallowed what Light basically shot down his throat, humming around him, content. Even when he was the one initiating like this, something about the way Light was holding his hair made him feel used in the _best_ way possible.

“Huh?” Light’s eyes focused, realizing he wasn’t being as sneaky as he’d hoped. “Oh yeah, I’m fine. Just, um-- maybe we can pick this up tomorrow?” He knew that sounded incredibly lame and transparent, but what L was doing to him knocked his IQ by about 100 points. He blushed when he heard Gilles chuckling on the other end. _Ugh, he knows something but hopefully doesn’t suspect it’s ‘Deneuve.’_

“Of course, of course. It’s after-hours and I know Monte Carlo is full of ‘distractions.’”

“No, it’s not like that! I’m--”

“Goodnight, Light, talk to you tomorrow.” 

When the dial tone sounded, Light tossed the phone away and glared down at L, but it was playful and full of desire. “Happy now, you brat?” He tugged L’s head up by the hair. “You almost made me--” He broke into giggles, “Blow it.” 

Giggling, L licked his lips, staring directly at Light. “I believe you already did,” he purred, leaning slightly into his hand. Part of him wanted the man to just pin him down and ravish him right now, but he didn’t want to ruin the “surprise.” “Sorry, it was far too tempting of an opportunity. Plus, we already know he thinks this is a waste of time, I doubt he would judge you for _indulging_ yourself.” He smirked, pressing a brief kiss against Light’s cockhead. “Though, he might judge your choice of indulgence.”

“Mmm, and that’s why he can’t know.” Light shivered and stuffed himself back into his pants, smiling happily at L. “Come up here.” He held L’s hand and tugged him closer so they were laying face to face. He kissed L gently, tasting himself and humming into the man’s mouth. He pulled away after a moment when a thought popped into his head. “You don’t think Wedy or Jon would tell him, do you?”

“No, that would be too big of a risk for their own identities,” L murmured, smiling softly as he slid his arms around Light’s neck. He leaned in, pecking his lips. “We don’t need to worry about that. It’s completely in our hands.” Sighing, he pulled away enough to lay down beside him. “How do I need to dress for my ‘surprise?’ Is my regular attire appropriate?”

Light relaxed, focusing back on the here and now. “Oh, it doesn’t matter. I don’t intend to let you stay clothed for long.” He slid a hand down the back of L’s jeans and squeezed. “Can you wait or--?”

L chuckled and nodded. “Yes, I can wait. The real question is, can _you_ ?” He pressed back into his hand, sighing quietly in pleasure. Admittedly, the temptation to just stay in bed with the other was strong, but he wasn’t _too_ worked up yet to not be able to calm down and move on to another task.

“Mmm, yes, because I really think you’re going to like this surprise.” Light kissed L on the tip of his nose. “I already arranged for some food and other things to be put in my car so...just grab a change of clothes and we can go.” 

* * *

A half-hour later, Light and L were heading towards his car, hand in hand and overnight bags slung over their shoulders. Light tossed the bags into the trunk as he said, “Oh, I forgot to ask-- you don’t have a fear of heights do you...?” He trailed off slightly as something in his environment felt _off_. _No, not now!_ His vision was flickering, the car in front of him becoming partially transparent. And that’s when he saw it-- a brand new bug inconspicuously planted right inside the glove box. A cloud passed over his face and he frowned, quickly opening the glove box to snatch it out. He huffed in irritation, “Don’t they know when to _quit?_ ,” and crushed it in his hand before realizing that L was seeing all of this. His anger had temporarily overridden his sense of caution.

L opened his mouth to respond that, no, he did not have a problem with heights, when Light’s sudden actions interrupted him. He furrowed his brows, watching him destroy the bug. “Light..?” Frowning, he walked over, looking at the ruined device. “...how did you know that was in there?” He looked up at him, confusion in his eyes. _Did I not notice some safety signal he placed on the car..? Did he do something with paper or pencil lead..? Surely not, I would have seen it. I suppose I have been distracted, though…_

Light was confused too, and he almost truthfully admitted he didn’t know. _No, he’s trying to pin me again._ He blanked his expression and answered, “It’s, uh...just a new INTERPOL technology.” He dumped the metal and plastic bits into a nearby trash can, flinching at how his hand was covered in small cuts and scratches he hadn’t even noticed happening. “I’m not really supposed to talk about it. Top secret and all.” He took a deep breath and got in the car, relieved that everything appeared solid once again. Inside, he was quite shaken but the last thing he wanted was to show that to L. So he forced himself to smile brightly and then turn on the car. “Ready to go?”

_He’s lying to me, but...he’s unsure. Did he just notice something subtle through the window..? But why would he lie about that?_ L was only getting more and more confused the longer he thought about it. Shaking his head, he finished loading everything into the car and climbed into the passenger seat. “Yes, I’m ready.” He smiled, instinctively reaching out to take Light’s hand, as if trying to reassure him. “I am incredibly curious as to what you have planned.”

Light’s smile softened into something more genuine when L took his hand. It steadied him a lot, and mentally, he was thanking L for not probing deeper since it meant he didn’t have to keep lying. He really didn’t want to ruin tonight. “I hope you’ll like it.” He turned the key in the ignition and drove from the hotel, out away from the interior of the city and towards the coast. It was in the opposite direction from the little cafe Light had taken L to before-- _our first date?_ \-- but still along the sea. It was just past sunset and dusk was descending, stars and a sliver of the moon peeking from behind the clouds. “Do you usually get out and explore the cities when you’re there on cases?” Truthfully, L looked like he didn’t get out that much.

Laughing softly, L shook his head. “No, I-...I truly don’t get the chance to spend my time in leisure. I rarely even leave whatever hotel I’m staying in,” he murmured, shrugging. “I spent most of my time just working.” _That’s part of the reason Aiber wanted me to get out..._ Discomfort rose inside him at the thought of Aiber, and he quickly pushed it away. _No. I need to focus on us tonight. He’s put in work to make this happen._ “That’s why my time with you here has been so...special, I suppose. I’ve never been a very social person, but when we’re together, it just feels so much easier.” His smile grew warm as he squeezed Light’s hand. He could only hope it wasn’t too soon to be getting sappy like this.

“It’s been special to me, too.” Light was glad that it was dim in the car, he knew he was blushing. Moreso because that was the _truth_ , and it really shouldn’t be. He should be focused completely on how to get L out of the way, not on _actually_ romancing the detective. It just felt so good to have this, he didn’t want to let it slip away so soon. Ultimately, Light rationalized it like all the things he wasn’t really supposed to do but did anyway-- _if I get away with it, then why not?_ “But it’s a shame to travel the world and never really see any of it. I spent my whole life in one place until I came here. But,” he smiled at L briefly before training his eyes back on the road, “I suppose you already knew that. Actually, I’m curious why you never contacted me before now.” L had seemed to have had a crush for quite a while.

Now it was L’s turn to blush. He lowered his gaze, rubbing his thumb along Light’s knuckles. “Well, the simple and more obvious answer is that you didn’t know me. Our first interaction was extremely unpleasant, and my reputation in INTERPOL was ruined. However,” he paused, squirming in the seat. “...in truth, I never thought this would be a possibility. I’m far from your ‘type,’ and it felt easier to just...observe you from afar, rather than approach you and cause problems.” He bit his lip. His face felt like it was on fire at this point. “It might sound silly, but I felt inadequate.” 

Light said softly, “Honestly, you’re probably the only person in the world I’d actually find ‘adequate.’” He left unsaid what the reason for that was, but they both knew. L was the only person who could have found Kira, the only person who was Kira’s equal. “Like attracts like.” 

L struggled to believe that Light would have found him adequate, but the sentiment made him feel warm inside, so he didn’t argue.

Light slowed the car down and pulled onto a side road that curved closer to the cliff, following it for a ways until they came to a little clearing at the end of the road. He turned the car off and said, “This is it.” In front of them, the sea spread out in all directions and they were quite high above the rocky surf below. There was a grassy meadow sparsely surrounded by trees, and the only thing separating the edge of the cliff from the descent was a crudely-made wood fence. “I’ve never brought anyone out here before but I discovered this place poking around on my own. I thought we might spend the night here.” He looked at L hopefully, trying to gauge if he liked the idea. “The hotel could only spare one sleeping bag though, so you’re stuck sharing with me.” 

As they approached their destination, L was understanding less and less. He had expected some high class restaurant or luxury location, not a scenic cliff over the ocean. “...it’s beautiful,” he murmured, leaning to the side to get a better look out the window. “I-...I didn’t expect you to surprise me with something like this...although I suppose that is the point of a surprise.” His lips twitched faintly in amusement. “I certainly don’t mind sharing a sleeping bag with you.” Although his expression gave little away, his eyes were shining with delight. He had never thought of himself as a hopeless romantic, but, spending time with Light, he was slowly coming around to the idea. 

Light nearly beamed when it was clear the surprise had pleased L; this place was special to him after all. “Just wait until you see the view from the edge.” He squeezed L’s hand and got out of the car, taking the sparse camping supplies out of the trunk. “There’s a basket of food in the backseat, can you grab it?” He smiled to himself as he laid out a large, thick blanket in the grass, a smile that only slightly faltered when he spied Ryuk perched on the fence at the cliff’s edge.

“Looks like your plan’s working out perfectly, Light-o.” Ryuk stretched his gangly arms up over his head, bending them in an unnatural angle. “Think you can get him to tell you his name soon?” The shinigami laughed quietly as his golden eyes glowed in the dim dusk. “Or do you even want to know anymore?”

Light looked away, purposefully ignoring Ryuk, but made their hand signal for _‘don’t know._ ’ It was too soon to make a decision about the best approach, wasn’t it? _A week ago, I wouldn’t have questioned the need to kill him as fast as possible_. 

L nodded quickly, his face warming from the lingering feeling of Light’s hand wrapped around his. He climbed out of the car, shutting the door and retrieving the basket from the back seat. Glancing over his shoulder, he froze, staring at the blanket. _It’s a cliché, but...it makes me feel really happy. How did things get this way so quickly?_ Forcing those thoughts aside, he carried the basket over to Light, setting it down on the blanket before plopping down into his usual sitting position. “How long have you been planning this?” He arched a brow, grinning up at him.

Light relaxed when he saw Ryuk had disappeared towards the horizon. “Since you said you’d stay in my suite.” He sat down beside L and glanced at the basket with a small smirk. “Go ahead and peek inside, tell me how I did.” In the past few days he’d gotten a pretty good read on what L liked and requested some things from the hotel chef--- strawberry mousse cake topped with chocolate-dipped strawberries, some various fruits, chocolate chip cookies and milk, and honey-roasted ham and cheese on baguette. There was a bottle of sweet prosecco too, and although the chef had nearly pitched a fit it wasn’t _champagne_ , he’d insisted on it. 

Squirming a little with excitement, L lifted the basket lid, his eyes lighting up immediately. “Chocolate strawberries!” Even though he was relatively relaxed around Light these days, it was rare for him to be _this_ ecstatic. He began pulling everything out of the basket, meticulously setting the dishes in the order he intended to use when eating them. _Cake last...baguette first, then fruit._ He scooted back, looking over the lineup. _Perfect._ “How did you know?” His gaze softened as he finally looked over at Light. The fact that the man had visibly put in so much effort to pick the perfect meal had not gone unnoticed. 

Light grinned at L’s childlike excitement-- it was an odd feeling, taking pleasure in the happiness of someone outside his family, and especially _this_ person. _Don’t question it, just enjoy it while you can_. “You’re not the only one capable of watching people like a hawk.” He poked L playfully and teased, “Detective, some of your habits are quite predictable.” It was clear he was relieved that L approved, though. More genuine, “I’m glad you like it. I wanted to...apologize, I guess, for...well, everything.” His face heated at how he was uncharacteristically stumbling over his words, but he was loathe to mention Jon or anything else unpleasant tonight. “I think you understand how it feels to always have to put up walls around other people. To not trust anything or anyone.” He gave L a meaningful look and added, “You’ve seen me do that for a lot of years, by watching me. But that’s not always who I am. Who I could be.”

_That’s because I_ **_know_ ** _who you really are._ A faint feeling of discomfort ran up the back of L’s neck. He didn’t enjoy being reminded that Light was most certainly Kira and that it was _his_ responsibility to catch him, so he pushed that thought away in favor of picking up a fourth of the baguette sandwich. “I-...I owe you several apologies, as well. I’m not proud of the behavior that led us to this point, but I’m grateful that you still want to be around me after all that I’ve done.” He offered a soft smile, hesitating before moving closer, their arms touching. _I love him._ “I’m happy that you can be genuine around me. I’m doing my best to be honest, as well.” Taking a bite out of the sandwich, he hummed appreciatively. Normally, he despised meat and cheese, but the sweet taste complimented the food very well.

“I can tell.” Light really could-- L had been far less guarded over the past few days, bordering on reckless. _After all YOU’VE done?_ Kira had done far worse, by L’s standards, but it was futile to offer an apology that Light didn’t mean. He wasn’t sorry for that, none of it. “So, where did you grow up?” He picked up one of the baguettes and nibbled it, reclining on an elbow and stretching out into a more comfortable position. _Shit, it’s getting dark._ “Actually, hold that thought.” He looked through the camping stuff for a small electric lantern and turned it on, setting it between them. “There. Don’t want one of us accidentally falling into the ocean tonight.”

L’s smile faltered. _That won’t be too much, will it..? No, he needs a name._ Shifting, he chuckled. It was a slightly nervous sound as that thought lingered in the back of his mind. _He wouldn’t kill me. Not here, not now, not like that. Why would you even think that?_ He ran his fingers through his hair, resting one elbow on his knee as he chewed. “Well, that’s a complicated question on its own. I’ve spent most of my life travelling the world, but I suppose my formative years were all in Britain.” _Non-specific enough, and my accent would give that away on its own._ “An orphanage, anyway. I started travelling for cases when I was around 12, staying at the orphanage on my off-months to continue my studies.” He stared down at his sandwich for a moment, a rather comforting but unrealistic thought coming to mind. “Perhaps one day, after this case is over with, I can take you there to see it.”

“I’d like that, to see it.” Light’s mouth pulled down into a small frown, imagining growing up without his own parents around. He wanted to ask if L had known his parents but that might bring up painful memories. Plus, he wasn’t sure what to make of the insinuation that this case would be _over_ , and Light would still have freedom to go anywhere. “Twelve years old...so young. Being L isn’t something you just fall into, is it?” He ate a bite of the baguette, swallowing before continuing. “I guess my father used to sometimes ask for my help on cases when I was a teenager but…” _He’d always shield me from the worst of it, the victims, the cruelty and horror._ He wondered if someone had protected L from such things as a child. “Was it always murder cases, right from the start?”

“My first case was a murder case, actually.” L couldn’t really understand what Light was getting at, unaware of how the way he was raised might appear to others. “I was 8. I read about the investigation in a newspaper article and solved it within two days. Although, I didn’t set foot on my first crime scene until I was 11.” Leaning forward, he poured himself a glass of milk, taking a quick sip before continuing. “I would say most of my cases have been murder. After that, the most common case I take would be highly confidential international issues, usually requested by a country’s government.”

Light blinked imagining an 11-year old L at the scene of a grisly murder. Who would allow a child to witness such things first-hand? The shock probably showed on his face, briefly. Gently, “That’s....I mean, it’s impressive that you were able to solve cases so young, but did seeing those things ever get to you?” Perhaps it was because he’d had his own nightmares about the things he’d heard and seen from his father’s cases, and while it didn’t keep him from assisting, it impacted him. Probably shaped some of his ideology as Kira, if he had to point to an influence other than the strong sense of justice instilled in him by Soichiro. _I guess it went hand in hand_. 

L tilted his head, looking at Light for a moment as he tried to understand exactly what he meant. “ ‘Get to me?’ I-...I’ve never considered it.” Frowning, he lowered one leg down to the side, leaning forward against his raised thigh. “I suppose it’s possible that it affected me. I’ve never really slept well.” _And that_ **_did_ ** _develop around that time. Hm. Wammy never even mentioned that possibility. Did he suspect it?_ “Though, there are advantages. It’s become much easier over the years. It makes my job simpler.”

Light smiled sympathetically, “Yeah, helping my Dad sometimes gave me nightmares. I think I was subconsciously worried that _he’d_ be the one hurt one day, like those victims.” He looked away and anxiously tucked a strand of hair behind his ear; he’d never confessed that to his father, not wanting to worry someone with enough worries already. “The world is a rotten place but sometimes it’s beautiful, too.” He gazed up at the stars starting to peek out from behind the wispy clouds above them. “Like now. And I think I’ve slept better in the past few nights than I have in years.” _Huh, that’s funny. Sleeping beside my ‘enemy’ has made me calm._

“I’d have to agree.” L watched Light with soft eyes. “...this world truly is beautiful.” Red tinted his cheeks as he quickly looked away, finishing off his sandwich. The man looked enchanting like that, with the moonlight shining on his skin. “I’ve slept better, as well. I can say for certain that I’ve gotten more hours of sleep this week than I ever had in my entire life.” Smiling, he reached over and took Light’s hand, squeezing it gently. “...thank you. For this, for giving me a second chance, for spending time with me. I-...I can’t recall feeling this happy before.”

Light’s first instinct was to search L’s face for the lie, but when he failed to find it, he softened and smiled back at L. “Me too. I know I can’t get used to it. I have to go back to France soon, and you’ll go...wherever it is L goes.” He brought L’s hand to his lips, laughing as he spotted some icing that the man must have swiped from the cake. He licked it off and then kissed L’s hand. “I’ll enjoy you while I have you, though.” He felt warm inside, not only for these days he’d had with L, but also because of how the detective had seemed to turn away from the Kira case, leaving them both in a safer position. He felt like it _would_ be over soon and perhaps neither would have to kill the other. _Is it wishful thinking? Maybe, but in moments like this I believe it._

L’s smile faltered briefly. He remained silent for a moment, just enjoying the feeling of Light’s hand in his. “...what if-...what if ‘L’ goes there, too?” He suggested quietly, staring at their hands, their fingers twined. _Why does it feel like his fit so perfectly between mine..? Like this was meant to be..?_ It felt a little silly, but he found that he was thinking such sentimental things more often these days. “I don’t have anyone to actually report to. I’m my own employer. I can go wherever I please, whenever I please.”

“Back to France with me?” Light’s face split into a grin, his eyes sparkling with the unexpected possibilities of that idea. “I’d love that!” He forced himself to stop and actually _think_ about what that entailed. He’d be giving up his privacy to act as Kira for a much longer span of time than he’d planned on, and eventually L’s suspicions would rear their head again because Light wouldn’t stop. He reined in his obvious enthusiasm and added carefully, “But...if you come with me, you’d have to give up the Kira case. Would you do that?”

L shifted, meeting Light’s gaze as he considered the question. _Why...is my immediate answer not “no?”_ “I-...to be honest, I can see that being a possibility. Nothing in life is guaranteed, but...I do think I could do that, for you,” he murmured, looking thoughtful. “Odd. I’ve never even felt the urge to abandon a case before, especially not one that has captured my attention so much. But, I suppose…” He paused, reaching out and plucking a chocolate covered strawberry from the cake. He held it up to Light’s lips, smiling. “I find you equally, if not more, fascinating.”

_He’d do that for me?_ Light’s eyes stung in a way that disconcerted him, emotion breaking through his politeness and control. He leaned forward and carefully bit the strawberry, smiling from the sweet taste as he fought back the bitter idea that he didn’t really deserve L’s grace but also wouldn’t hesitate to take it. He moved closer to L, nearly climbing into the man’s lap. He licked his lips of the strawberry juice and said slowly, “You wouldn’t be abandoning the case.” He looked at L meaningfully and whispered, “You _solved_ it. And isn’t that the part that concerns L?” The rest of the details like who to tell and what to do with the person in question were messes for other people to clean up, but… “If you’re here now, and would go back with me, it must mean you care. You don’t want me to die.” It was a question more than a statement, but the only way Light could trust was to couch it in certainty. He was way out on a limb, and L could cut the branch at any moment and ruin him. 

  
Eyes widening slightly, L carefully examined Light’s face, hunting for the joke, the punchline. When he didn’t find one, he lowered his legs, tugging the other man closer, onto his lap. “No, Light. I’d rather die myself,” he murmured, trying his best to communicate how much he _meant_ what he was saying through his eyes. He rest his hands on Light’s hips, swallowing hard. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.” _He’s telling me. He’s telling me that he’s Kira- but he’s not at the same time. This isn’t a confession to the detective, L, it’s-...it’s genuine._ “I won’t _let_ anything happen to you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for checking out our fic! ZJ is writing for Light and Ryuk, Resilicns is writing for L. Everyone else get passed around. More to come soon!  
> Catch us on tumblr too @kiranatrix (ZJ) and @resilicns


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